Research ship obtains five cranes
Palfinger Marines development department has entered the world of offshore crane systems with the design of the first Palfinger ‘Heavy Duty Foldable’ marine crane for a modern research ship.
Palfinger Marine- und Beteiligungs-GmbH (PMB) is tapping into the market segment of large marine cranes with its PFM range. The cranes are offered with a lifting moment of up to 350 t/m. The innovative range was presented to the public as part of an official ceremony at the Palfinger Maribor plant during final testing of the Palfinger heavy duty foldable marine crane. Handover of the crane to the Japanese dealer, Sekigahara Seisakusho Ltd, had taken place just a few days previously.
The owner of the ship is the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) which together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd decided to build this unique research ship so that it could press ahead with scientific development in the field of maritime resources around Japan’s coastal areas. There is special interest in researching the mineral deposits and gas hydrates on the seabed in order to make them usable as energy sources of the future.
On completion of this research ship, there will be a total of five different Palfinger marine cranes on board that will be used to transport measuring instruments and equipment.
‘For Palfinger, designing a crane of this size meant a totally new development. We were set this demanding task and we solved it successfully, said Johnannes Lindenbauer of Palfinger Marine Cranes. ‘Developing a special extension boom system which features a knuckle boom and a telescopic outreach of up to 21m was a particular challenge with this prototype. The weight optimised construction combined with the additional installation of two different marine winches turned out exceptionally well. Innovative winch control by means of a manual control system and radio remote control also guarantees that the crane is safe and easy to operate.’
Palfinger AG took over the marine crane division of Palfinger Systems GmbH in October 2010, thus extending its marine portfolio. The division it has taken over occupies a good position in the marine crane segment and is also a market leader in cranes for offshore wind turbines.
