GTK gets picked up in Gdansk docks

12 August 2011

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Polish rental firm Viatron used a 1,000t gantry crane to lower a new GTK1100 into the dry dock at the congested Remontowa shipyard.

Gdynia-based Viatron was set up to take advantage of the unique Manitowoc GTK crane, with a focus on the wind energy sector in Poland and Sweden. It has been showcasing the abilities of their recently acquired Grove GTK1100 at the Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk where the offshore drilling rig Wilphoenix is being refitted.

The GTK1100 was the brainchild of one of Manitowoc’s lead designers, Gerhard Kaupert. The crane combines a Grove GMK all terrain crane upper, mounted on a telescoping tower supplied by steel specialists Wolter Metallverarbeitung, now part of the Rautaruukki group. The tower and upper are mounted on an SPMT-style hydrostatic carrier, and held steady by pendants linking the tower and upper to the outriggers. Originally designed to lift heavy nacelles on to wind towers, it has found further applications on other tall, heavy, jobs like chimney work.

Viatron’s first job for the GTK1100 involved positioning the 90t capacity crane in a dry dock, using a 1,000t gantry crane from the shipyard, before performing several lifts to place upgraded control equipment modules and drill control mechanisms on the Wilphoenix.

Due to the limited space in the dry dock, the crane could only be partially rigged with its outriggers and telescopic mast at ground level.

However the crane was still capable of safely lifting a range of components in this configuration, the heaviest of which weighed 10t, to heights of around 116m at radii as large as 52m for the nine-day project.

The Wilphoenix semi-submersible vessel is used by offshore drilling contractor Awilco Drilling to drill at depths of more than 360m, and the substantial upgrade formed an important part of it’s refurbishment, which will be fully completed later this year.

Manitowoc say the GTK1100’s use solved a number of engineering challenges, and Viatron’s CEO Igor Pawela agreed he was impressed with the crane’s capabilities on the job, commenting. “The GTK1100 is one of the most innovative cranes I’ve seen in years.”

“We studied this crane for several months in a wide range of industries and applications. Our customers are in energy and industrial markets, and they need innovative solutions for their refurbishment and new-build projects. The GTK1100 is an ideal solution.”

Viatron is 70% owned by Polish renewable energy specialist investors BBI Zeneris. The company is a member of the Gdynia Wind Services consortium.


Viatron's Grove GTK1100 being lifted into position at the shipyard Viatron's Grove GTK1100 being lifted into position at the shipyard