Antwerp sends a Jumbo lift to Texas

Among the cargo were two 625m/t coke drums, each 42m long and with a diameter of 10m

.

The prize lift however was a 1200m/t vacuum tower

.

This giant (50m long, 17m diameter) was safely lifted off its supports (including three self propelled modular trailers), all of which were fastened onto a barge

.

Barge, trailers and tower were positioned in-between the quayside and the

Fairplayer

.

Prior to the lifting operation all non-essential staff were summoned to leave the heavy lift vessel, thus ensuring a safer working environment for the crane drivers and other specialised heavy lift crew

.

In about one and a half hours the tower and its saddles were lifted onto the weather deck, where they were seafastened

.

Together with previously loaded cargo, consisting of three reactors and two separators, the Fairplayer set sail for Port Arthur, Texas in the USA to deliver the equipment to the Motiva Port Arthur Refinery Expansion Project, which will create the largest refinery in the nation and one of the top ten in the world

.

It is the first expansion of its kind in America for more than 30 years

.

The 144

.

8m LOA MV Fairplayer is powered by two MaK 9M32C main engines producing a total of 9,000kW, which takes the 12,673dwt vessel to a speed of 17 knots

.

Lifting capacity is provided by two 900 ton cranes working in combination with an 1,800 ton auxiliary hoist

.