What Exactly Does Heavy Lift Shipping Entail?

This question has at one point come across the mind of majority of us. These are vessels that have been designed to lift and move large and heavy loads that can't be handled by normal ships. Include; ship mounted and overhead cranes, pipe layer. This machinery is capable of transporting heavy equipment over shallow, deep, mud flats and frozen water. The HANSA heavy lift is one of the equipments that can operate in sea routes with an ice thickness of up to one meter. Majority of them are either diesel or electric hydraulics. Special considerations need to be taken into account before any set up, especially the machinery involved in the hoisting and lifting of equipment. The lift radius, wind speed, ground conditions and machine capacity at a given radius.

 

Classification of heavy lift equipment

Grouped in accordance to the type of work each can perform. They include;

Ø  Semi-submerging vessels.

They are long and have a low well deck in between the forward pilot house and an aft machinery space. These are vessels that are capable of lifting very heavy objects including another ship out of the water and relocating it. Their ballast tanks can be flooded to lower the well deck below the water surface, this is what makes it possible for them to be loaded with other vessels and floating cargo. This vessel has also been used by the U.S navy to bring back damaged warships.

·         Vessels that provide unloading facilities at inadequate equipped ports.

 

Beside these two vessels, the U.S navy has also chattered other heavy lift ships to carry their patrol and smaller crafts.

 

Transportation

With the assistance of highly trained crew in liaison with the engineering department, customized solutions for transport needs and thorough supervision are enhanced. As the name states " heavy lift shipping " the equipments and materials being transported are not to be joked around with due to their complexity. They are mostly involved in the extraction, transport and construction industry, power plants, oil and gas, renewable resources, reactors, cranes and port construction.

 

Fabric content

Each shipping equipment is made out of different fabric, either synthetic or wire rope slings.

·         Synthetic slings.

The Samson's synthetic sling is known to be the lightest and most efficient as compared to wire since it requires less equipment in handling. It’s able to withstand damage and abrasion better. It’s fabricated into longer lengths and further grouped into two; single leg sling; good at lighter work load and Grommet's; better for greater work load.

·         Wire rope slings.

They have long being in use and are still considered the best in terms of durability and strength as compared to the nylon slings. They have higher temperature limits of upto 400 degrees. Examples include; flat woven and large wire rope slings.

 

The transport, construction and exportation industry has become the most advantaged sector with the improved level of technology. Infrastructure has also improved since bridges can now be constructed across oceans.