Dutch heavy lifting and transportation company Mammoet in February said it was investigating a possible violation of its intellectual property rights by Dutch crane maker Huisman and Danish crane specialist BMS.
"The investigation concerns the recently announced series of land cranes, including a 3000-ton ring crane, by Huisman and BMS. If any violations are apparent, Mammoet will take steps to actively enforce its legal rights in any and all applicable jurisdictions," Mammoet said at the time.
Mammoet had also shared a photo of Huisman and BMS crane and the Mammoet SK350 crane in support of its claim.
Huisman at the time said it was surprised by the allegations, adding that, prior to the signing with BMS Heavy Cranes, it had conducted a thorough patent investigation to ensure that there were no infringements. "Therefore, we will await the outcome of Mammoet’s investigation with confidence," it said at the time.
A Dutch court has now ruled that Mammoet's allegations were unsubstantiated and unlawful against Huisman and has ordered Mammoet to issue a rectification statement.
Below is Mammoet's updated statement, signed by the CEO Paul van Gelder:
"In February 2022, Mammoet [...] alleged that Huisman is possibly infringing on its intellectual property rights with Huisman’s 3,000mt ringer crane contract with BMS. The suggestion of IP infringement is unsubstantiated and therefore unlawful against Huisman. The Provisions Judge of the District Court of Midden Nederland (The Netherlands) has, in a judgment of April 28, 2022, ordered Mammoet to share this rectification."
The crane
Back in January, when it announced the crane order from BMS, Huisman said that the 3,000mt Ringer Crane crane setup had been optimized for operations in the wind industry. With the capability to lift components of 1,200mt at heights of up to 225m, and heavy structures of 3000mt at a reduced height, the crane will ready BMS for installation of the next generation of wind turbines on and offshore and on floating foundations, Huisman said last month.
Delivery of the crane is scheduled for the second half of 2023. Financial details were not disclosed.
Description of the crane, as shared by Huisman in January
▪ A fully electrically driven system, resulting in high positioning accuracy, efficient energy use, reduced maintenance and higher reliability.
▪ Modular ring system, allowing for a full 360° ring being used, or a portion of it – depending on specific site layouts
▪ Easy breakdown in road transportable pieces enables easy relocation of the crane
▪ A dedicated boom setup, thus ensuring a lightweight and stiff design.
▪ Upending of the crane can be done without the use of assistant cranes
▪ Very low ground bearing pressure
▪ Operable in higher winds than traditional cranes.