Mammoet launches 6,000t capacity crane

Building these modules onshore has allowed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies and owners to shorten project timeframes while increasing cost-effectiveness. Production times have been reduced by constructing the hull and topsides simultaneously.

But with the size of the modules regularly breaking the 3,000t barrier they are at the limit of what modern lifting technology can achieve - both on land and water. Given the loads involved, it can be difficult to find adequate lifting technology close to the project site.

The SK6,000 utilises the same design as the SK 190 and SK 350, occupying a similar overall footprint to its predecessors and the technology of the new crane allows topside modules to be lifted and installed from one single position without the a costly and time-consuming exercise of rotating the hull.

Its unique design, consisting of a centralised ballast, means that there is no need to install a full ring track. This frees up site space by up to 45%, allowing operations around the crane to continue and the FPSO to launch faster.

The SK6,000 is containerised and can be assembled quickly on site. It allows EPCs and owners to consider construction methodologies involving heavier components than ever before, stretching to 5,000t and beyond.

“As our customers strive for greater and greater efficiencies, both in terms of construction and production, the capacity of land-based cranes becomes a significant limiting factor when developing the FPSO modularization strategy”, said Mammoet sales director Giovanni Alders.

“As FPSO designs scale-up, not only are module designs growing larger and heavier, but flare towers are also becoming taller than ever before. With our SK6,000, we can install flare towers of up to 1,500t and 150m in height in a single piece.”

“With the innovation of the SK6,000 crane, our customers can think bigger than ever before; pushing modules beyond the 4,000t and even 5,000t barriers. Its low ground bearing capacity also means the crane can be used all over the world.”

“With its long outreach, small minimum footprint and relatively small site impact, the SK6,000 greatly reduces the topside integration time. Needless to say, with larger building blocks you spend less time connecting and testing, and more time producing.”