Bromma's Tandem spreader passes field test

Bromma, the Swedish manufacturer of spreaders, has completed field testing of the fixed length version of its new Tandem line of twin-lift spreaders, designed for lifting two 40ft containers at a time.

For more than a decade, many container terminals have been moving from single-lift spreaders to twin-lift spreaders. Bromma already offers a separating twin-lift spreader that can lift two 20ft containers, which is its best selling ship-to-shore crane spreader. The Tandem line adds 40ft and 45ft twins to the current 20ft twin standard.

Having concluded field testing, Bromma is now moving into production of a telescopic version of the Tandem spreader.

In field tests at the Maersk facility in Algeciras, Spain, the Tandem spreader performed with all load combinations in a 60-100 second cycle time, Bromma says. Features of the Tandem unit used for the trial include an increased weight (to simulate the telescopic version), a higher lifting point for improved stability, rounded end beam corners, and side flippers.

The Maersk Sealand terminal in Algeciras is a highly demanding environment, where each Bromma spreader presently in service lifts, on average, about 3,000 containers a week. Such a high-volume environment makes it the ideal environment for testing spreaders, Bromma says.