Container Crane Transport Options: Self-Propelled Ship Versus Towed Barge
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Marine Heavy Transport & Lift 21-21 September 2005, London, UK CONTAINER CRANE TRANSPORT OPTIONS: SELF-PROPELLED SHIP VERSUS TOWED BARGE F. van Hoorn, Argonautics Marine Engineering, USA SUMMARY Container cranes are rarely assembled on the terminal quays anymore. These days, new cranes are delivered fully-erect, complete, and in operational condition. In today’s world economy, these fully-erect container cranes are routinely shipped across the oceans. New cranes are transported from manufacturers to terminals, typically on heavy-lift ships either owned by the manufacturer or by specialized shipping companies. Older cranes, often removed from the quay to make space for newer, bigger cranes, are relocated between ports and typically transported by cargo barges. Although the towed barge option is less expensive from a day rate point of view, additional expenses, such as the heavier seafastenings, higher cargo insurance premium, longer transit time, etc. need to be included in the cost trade-off analysis. Some recent container crane transports on ships and barges are discussed in detail and issues such as design criteria, stowage options, seafastening, etc. are addressed. Figure 1: Heavy-lift ship Swan departing Xiamen, China, with 2 new container cranes for delivery to Mundra, India 1. INTRODUCTION fully-erect container cranes are now routinely transported across the oceans. Most are new cranes, transported from New container cranes are on order for delivery to many their manufacturer to the ports of destination on heavy-lift ports around the world. With quay space a valuable ships either owned by the crane manufacturer or by commodity, the cranes are no longer assembled on the specialized shipping companies. Older cranes are relocated destination quay, but are delivered to the quay fully-erect, within port limits as well as between ports. These older complete, and in (near) operational condition. As a result, cranes, often removed from the quay to make space for new ARGONAUTICS MARINE ENGINEERING Page 2 of 10 (bigger and faster) cranes, are typically transported by cargo container cranes for a variety of crane manufacturers barge. Exceptions are the local delivery of new cranes to a worldwide. Since 1995, crane manufacturer ZPMC has port close to the crane manufacturer by towed barges delivered over 500 container cranes using their own fleet, (within a 300 – 1,000 mile radius) and relocation of older which has grown to 9 vessels over this time period. Since cranes to other continents by ships. Although the towed the early seventies, hundreds of new and old cranes have barge option is less expensive from a day rate point of view, been transported by cargo barges. Occasionally, a container additional expenses, such as the heavier seafastenings, crane is shipped using a project cargo ship. higher cargo insurance premium, longer transit time, etc. need to be included in the cost trade-off analysis. The Jones Act limits the transportation options for crane relocations 3. STOWAGE OPTIONS between US ports. The way a container crane is stowed on the vessel or barge depends on a large number of factors. Some of these are a 2. HISTORY function of the crane itself or of the vessel or barge. Others are dictated by the loading or offloading location, loading Today, a maritime port is synonymous to rows and rows of or offloading method, or the voyage itself, which may container cranes, loading and unloading containers on and impose certain physical restrictions, such as: off large container ships. Worldwide container trade is • Panama Canal, with its 32.3 m width, and 62.5 m air growing at a 9.5% annual rate. It is expected that up to 90% draft restriction; of all liner freight is shipped in containers by 2010. Starting • Suez Canal, with its 68 m air draft restriction; with the first special designed and built PACECO A-frame • Bridges and power cables between the manufacture container crane in Alameda, CA, in 1959, container cranes location and the destination terminal. have spread across the ports of the world in record pace [1]. Initially, these cranes were built on the quay from locally If a crane transport has to go under a bridge or power fabricated small components, delivered by trucks. This took cables, the air draft can be a design limit for the stowage a long time and valuable quay space. Building could be configuration of the crane on deck, unless modifications to sped up by having the crane delivered “knocked down” i.e. the crane(s) can be made prior to passing the bridge, for in large building blocks that needed to be assembled on site, example lowering the boom or APEX after the sea voyage but the biggest time and quay space savings are achieved and before going under the bridge at the destination port. when the container cranes are delivered “fully-erect”, in working condition. This also allows the manufacturers to fully complete and test the cranes in their own yards, under optimum quality control conditions and with all required specialized labor at hand. Although most container cranes are very similar, they are seldom identical. Crane manufacturers have their own basic designs, or license a specific design. Depending on each individual client’s specific requirements, these designs are custom adapted. And over time, the size keeps increasing to keep up with larger and heavier containers and larger (post- Panamax) container ships. Container ships with a capacity of 10,000 TEU and a beam of 45.6 m have entered service, Figure 2: Dock Express 11 arriving at Freeport, Bahamas, and ships with capacities of up to 15,000 TEU are on the with 3 container cranes with lowered superstructures drawing boards. To speed up loading and discharging of these ever larger ships, cranes with twin hoists and dual Stowing multiple cranes onto a barge or vessel with a trolleys and an outreach of 25 containers (61 m) have been limited free deck space, often results in a transverse developed. Bigger and faster is the trend. (athwart ships) stowage, see figure 1. The width of a crane is typically limited to a maximum distance between the New container cranes are being delivered to new terminals. gantry bumpers (which can be removed, if the total width is Existing terminals are being upgraded, adding new cranes too much) of 88.5 ft to permit two cranes to work side-by- or changing out older cranes with new cranes. Obsolete side on alternate hatches. Even with its boom up, its length container cranes are often sold for a nominal price, subject is much greater, given the crane’s backreach. So unless the that they are removed from the dock within a short time cranes can be nested (with their superstructures temporary frame. secured at different elevations, see figure 2), a transport of 3 cranes typically shows the cranes stowed transversely. Dockwise Shipping started transporting fully-erect These days, the typical crane rail spacing is 30 m or 100 ft, container cranes in 1984 and has since delivered over 650 which fits well transversely on a Panamax size ship with a Container Crane Transport Options: Self-Propelled Ship versus Towed Barge ARGONAUTICS MARINE ENGINEERING Page 3 of 10 beam of 32.2 m. When a project cargo ship is used and the Also the total wind area is smaller and the center of effort crane is lifted on and off using the ship’s own gear, the lower, which combined with the increased stability results container crane is typically stowed transversely, as rotating in a smaller wind angle of loll. it with the ship’s cranes is difficult if not impossible. A transverse stowage is often more favorable for the crane 4. LOADING AND OFFLOADING structure as the largest (roll) forces are acting in the strong direction of the crane. The crane structure is designed to lift Loading and offloading of container cranes can be achieved heavy containers at the tip of its boom, resulting in a in a number of different ways, depending on the location, bracing in each of its side planes. To allow for the container crane size, destination, manufacturer, availability of to be passed through, the water and land side portals contractor’s equipment, etc. Typical loading methods are: however are wide open, which makes the crane less rigid in • Rolling the crane on using its own (rotated) bogies; the side to side direction. Smaller reinforcements are • Rolling the crane on using multi-wheel trailers, dollies, required in the water and land side portals if they are or jack bogies; subjected to the lesser pitch motions. • Skidding the crane on using skid shoes sliding over skid tracks; A transverse stowage may be required if the crane is to be • Forklifting the crane using the ship or barge outriggers loaded or offloaded at a river terminal with strong currents. to pick up the crane and skid it on board; A perpendicular “stern to” or Mediterranean mooring at a • Lifting the crane on, using a large floating crane or high current quay is not safe and should be avoided. sheerleg. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Rolling a crane on its own bogies requires little additional equipment, other than mobile rail sections to roll over and means to move and stop the crane. However, it typically requires the bogies to be made turn- able and the crane needs to have jack points for supporting the jacks required to lift the crane for rotating of the bogies. The supporting quay will also have to be suitable to accommodate these same jack loads in a relatively small footprint area. To roll a crane on using multi-wheel trailers requires a Figure 3: Dock Express 10 arriving at Laem Chabang, support frame that transfers the lifting loads into the crane Thailand, with 2 new container cranes with booms down structure, see figure 4.