Energy Crane ECR 1200-R fast-erecting offshore crane

The claim that the crane can be erected offshore from scratch by just four technicians in around 24 hours will soon be put to the test: the ECR 1200-R goes directly from the works to its first project on Chevron’s SMI-99 platform at South Marsh Island (Gulf of Mexico) – the first of four assignments booked into the crane’s backlog of orders even before it was built.

The ECR 1200-R is a high performance crane with a modular lattice boom building to 60ft (18m), 80ft (24m), 100ft (30m) or 120ft (36.5m) length and an off-board (dynamic) lift capacity of 55 US tons (50t). It is constructed to the latest API 2C specification.

“This performance makes the ECR 1200-R ideally suited to compressor change-outs and to construction projects such as installation of vessels or production skids,” said Energy Cranes rental manager, Wayne Champagne.

The heaviest component requiring to be loaded onto the platform weighs less than 13 US tons (11.8t), the company said.

The ECR 1200-R is the result of a design partnership between Energy Cranes rental and manufacturing divisions in the US and the group’s technical department in Aberdeen, Scotland.

“This is the rental crane the industry has been shouting for,” says Wayne Champagne. “The ask was for a quick-build heavy-lifter which came in small packages that could themselves be lifted on board by existing on-board cranes or a lift boat. There simply isn’t another rental crane like the ECR 1200-R operating in the Gulf – and the demand is reflected in the order backlog we already have for the crane.”

Energy Cranes director of manufacturing, Dave Cockburn, emphasises that the crane is not a one-off. “We plan to build further ECR 1200-Rs for our rental fleet, but we also have client interest in the non-modular variant, the EC 1200, for permanent installation on platforms and rigs.”

Energy Cranes LLC is the US operating arm of Energy Cranes International Limited, the UK-based offshore lifting and mechanical handling services group which also encompasses Sparrows Offshore Services Limited. In 2006, Energy Cranes International had total sales in excess of £100 million ($200 million). The group employs 1,500 persons at 19 locations. 


Energy Crane ECR 1200-R fast-erecting offshore crane Energy Crane ECR 1200-R fast-erecting offshore crane