ALE’s massive crane begins work on P-74 FPSO

ALE Heavy Lift, a UK-based heavy-lift and transportation specialist, has performed its inaugural lifts on the P-74 FPSO project in Brazil with what the company says is the world’s largest capacity land-based crane, the AL.SK350.

To remind, the crane was load-tested in preparation for its first lifts on Petrobras’ P-74 FPSO at the beginning of September.

ALE said on Monday that the lifts were done using its 4,000t winch system and high-speed slew.

The company is using the AL.SK350 crane to lift and install approximately 40 modules, weighing up to 3,000t, onto the FPSO vessel in the south of Brazil.

ALE said its AL.SK350 crane has been rigged in its current biggest configuration, with 49m ballast radius and 4,000t ballast. The main boom is a 130m long A-frame design on a very stable 18m wide base. It also has a 600t auxiliary quick winch system for heavier loads up to 5000t a strand jack lifting system can be installed.

The crane, ALE said, was selected by the client as it was the only crane capable of installing the modules complete and without additional relocation of the ship’s hull.

The heaviest module on the project will weigh 3,000t, for which the company said is ‘the heaviest commercial load ever lifted by a land-based mobile crane.’

Ronnie Adams, Senior Project Manager on site, said: “The crane is performing well and exceeding expectations with its high slew speed, in combination with the 4,000t winch system. Despite challenges faced by the weather, we have completed the first campaign ahead of schedule, recognizing the engineering achievements this milestone brings.”

With its 354,000tm load moment capacity, ALE claims it is it is the largest capacity crane in the market by a ‘significant margin’ and it’s huge lifting capabilities enables clients to construct equipment for lifting weighing heavier than ever before.