Heavy lift and transport services firm Mammoet has launched the SK6000 land-based crane, said to be the world’s strongest, capable of handling large offshore wind components and delivering reduced integration times to offshore oil and gas projects.
The 6,000t capacity of the SK6000 crane enables faster construction methodologies across the energy sector, according to Mammoet.
The SK6000 is expected to have a major role in offshore wind, where fast growth of components in recent years has led to supply chain issues. Lifting 3,000t to a height of 220m, the SK6000 will contribute that wind farms in the planning phase today can be safely executed and delivered in the future.
In the oil and gas sector, the SK6000 is capable of delivering reduced integration times to offshore floating projects, while onshore new build and expansion projects can be delivered with increased uptime.
Both scopes then benefit from modular construction techniques that allow critical path components to be simultaneously built offsite anywhere in the world, before transporting to site ahead of installation.
The SK6000 has a maximum capacity of 6,000t, utilizing 4,200t of ballast to lift with a maximum ground bearing pressure of 30t/m2. The crane design uses containerization techniques for ease of deployment, and can be transported using shipping containers to any location worldwide.
It also offers full electric power capability from battery or supply from the grid, allowing customers to reduce the carbon impact of projects significantly.
The SK6000 is currently undergoing testing at Mammoet’s Westdorpe facility in the Netherlands, ready for deployment to its first project later in the year.
“This crane is truly a world record feat of engineering, with a production schedule to match- Hundreds of colleagues have been directly involved with its development across the business,” said Gavin Kerr, Director Global Services at Mammoet.