The VLS is an offshore machine used to lay cables on the sea bed. These are often used to connect offshore wind turbines to onshore electricity sub-stations.
The tower was lifted from a transportation barge onto a series of SPMT trailers following the VLS’s return to shore for maintenance and temporary storage.
The team used a Terex CC 2500-1 crawler crane, configured with a 48 SSL boom, 40t central ballast, 160t counterweight and 150t super-counterweight to deliver the lift.
Andrew Winter, heavy cranes operations director at Ainscough, said: “This lift was a significant undertaking with many variables to take into consideration. Lifting something of this size and mass from a floating barge is not something which can be undertaken at the drop of a hat. There are many hours of assessment and planning which are the key elements which lead to a successful lift.
“The lift itself might look straight-forward on the day, but it is only so because of that planning and the experience we bring to bear on such lifts.”
