BREAKBULK and heavy lift specialist AAL has is completing two shipments of container cranes from Taicang and Shanghai to Melbourne for the VICT terminal expansion program.
The six new-build Kalmar automatic stacking cranes are each 35 metres long, 13 metres wide, 27 metres high, and they weigh 215 tonnes.
Three of the cranes were carried on the 31,000 dwt heavy lift vessel AAL Hong Kong. A second sailing is planned with its sister vessel AAL Shanghai in early July to transport the other three cranes.
ALL head of transport engineering Nicola Pacifico said visibility challenges posed by the tall units required early dialogue with local authorities and other stakeholders to establish and secure necessary safety requirements for operational approval.
“Multiple diagrams, extensive documentation, detailed safety analyses and a raft of preventive measures were prepared and delivered through a strong collaborative effort involving AAL’s engineering and operations teams, and our technical and crew manager Columbia Shipmanagement,” he said.
“Measures undertaken included the deployment of CCTV cameras to compensate for blind spots, establishing forward radar, and employing additional watchkeeping, tugs and pilot assistance during departure and arrival at port.
“Bespoke adaptations to accommodate the significant size of the cranes included the use of bolsters to extend deck width on the starboard side, removing the support of ship crane number three to enable a suitable swing angle during loading and discharge, and the additional stowing of the crane’s jib in an upper position during sea voyage.”
