MacGregor's ship crane sales to China pass 100 for the year

Swedish manufacturer MacGregor Cranes has sold more than 100 cranes in 2003 for installation on new vessels at Chinese shipyards, the company has reported.

All the cranes have or will be delivered from Luzhou Machine Works, MacGregor's partner production plant in Nanjing, China.

Contracts for MacGregor cranes from Chinese shipyards include: First heavy-lift cranes enter service: MacGregor's GLH 320t heavylift cranes for the first of four 30,000dwt general cargo vessels to be completed at Shanghai Shipyard for owner Chipolbrok underwent overload tests and commissioning in October. Each vessel is equipped with two GLH heavylift cranes and two GL 50t cranes.

The cranes were approved by Germanischer Lloyd and the first vessel in the series is now delivered and sailing. Commissioning and overload tests for the cranes for the second vessel are now in progress.

Orders for a total of 16 cranes at Kou An Shipyard: Two options have been taken up for the delivery of cranes to two vessels that will be built at Kou An Shipyard. Each vessel will be equipped with four GL-type cranes including foundations and cargo spotter in combination with grab equipment. Cranes for two identical shipsets are already on order. The shipowner is FH Bertling of Hamburg in Germany, and delivery of completed cranes is scheduled for September 2004 and February 2005 from China.

Orders for 16 cranes at NACKS Shipyard: NACKS has placed a repeat order for four bulk cranes type GLB3026-2 that will be delivered to a vessel being built for Singapore shipowner Dalien-Singapore Int Corp Ltd. The cranes will be delivered from China in September 2004. The same shipyard ordered bulk-handling cranes for three 55,000dwt bulk carriers that will be built for Jiangsu Ocean Shipping. Each vessel will be equipped with four GLB3026.5-2 cranes, and delivery will take place in the second part of 2004 and beginning of 2005.

Orders for 14 cranes at Wenchong Shipyard: Two shipsets of GL-type cranes have been ordered for vessels under construction at Wenchong Shipyard. Each ship, owned by Singapore-based North West Ship Management, will be equipped with two cranes that will be delivered next year. Two further shipsets are an option. MacGregor Cranes has also received a repeat order for GL-cranes to be delivered to a total of five 1,700 TEU container vessels that are owned by German company Bernhard Schulte. The completed cranes are scheduled for delivery from China during the second half of next year.

Orders for four cranes at Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipbuilding: Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Co Ltd shipyard has placed an order with MacGregor for four GL cranes with an SWL of 45t at 40m outreach. The cranes will be mounted on two 1,200 TEU container vessels that are being built for German owner Reederei Horst Zeppenfeld GmbH & Co KG. The completed cranes will be delivered from in September 2004 and February 2005 respectively.

Orders for eight cranes at Jingjiang Sumec shipyard: Four container ships under construction at Jingjiang Sumec shipyard for Tom Würden of Germany will each be equipped with two GL-cranes. The completed order will be shipped from Luzhou Machine Works during 2004 and the beginning of 2005.

MacGregor has also signed a distributor agreement with South African shiprepair company Dormac (Pty) covering spares and maintenance for MacGregor hatch covers and cranes in Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and the west coast of Africa up to Ivory Coast.