On 15 December Huisman China, a 100% subsidiary of Huisman, completed the installation of a 2,400mt SWL quayside crane at its Zhangzhou (Fujian) fabrication yard. The top section of the new crane, known as the Skyhook, weighed 1,500t and was lifted in place by Jiangsu Wenqiang Ocean Engineering’s 1,800t capacity barge, the Wenqiang 8.
The event was an important milestone in the development of the Huisman China yard founded in 2007. Located in Xiamen port it has direct deepwater access to the Taiwan Strait, making it well suited for loading and installations of heavy steel constructions on large offshore vessels.
Claimed as the strongest moving quayside crane in the world, the Skyhook crane is specially designed and fabricated by and for Huisman China’s Zhangzhou yard. The crane has two main lifting configurations: a heavy lift configuration, capable of lifting 2,400t at 30m outreach, to a height of 100m, and an extended reach configuration, capable of placing a 200t load at 90m outreach, to a height of 140m.
The crane can travel along the 380m long quayside, with a load of 2,400t in its hooks. The new capabilities will create new business opportunities for Huisman China with handling, storage and installation of heavy project cargo.
The quayside application and design started in 2009 and construction (by reclamation) started on 23 January 2011. In total 100,000sq m of land was reclaimed, and converted into a 380m long quayside (with a load bearing capacity up to 40mt/sqm) and a storage yard of 86,000sq m. To facilitate Ro-Ro operations for transport of heavy project cargo, the quay is equipped with special Ro-Ro hinge foundations over a length of 130m. The water depth alongside the quay is 14m.
