Sarens unveils three super heavy lifters

On Friday 13 October Sarens unveiled the second of its giant cranes, the 140,000 tonne-metre rated SGC 140. The new super heavy lift ring crane was erected in the Port of Gent, Belgium, before being shipped to Kazakhstan where it will go to work for three years on the Tengizchevroil TCO project developing the Tengiz and Korolev oil fields.

International heavy lift and transport specialist Sarens already has a slightly smaller version of this design, the 120,000 tonne-metre SGC 120. At the time of writing it was at work loading out jackets and other platform components in Newcastle in the United Kingdom. Both cranes lift 3,200 tonnes but the 140 lifts more to a longer radius. They are based on the design from California, USA-based Rigging International, a company owned by Sarens since 31 May 2009.

An even larger version of this crane design on the drawing board is the 250,000 tonne-metre SGC 250 which will be available in 2019, Wim Sarens, Sarens CEO, said at the SGC 140 launch event. In addition, there will be a smaller crane, the 90,000 tonne-metre SGC 90, in 2018, Sarens said.

Carl Sarens, technical director, described the SGC 140 as the next step. It was erected at the launch with 118 metres of main boom. It can also be 89 m and the maximum is 130 m. A jib up to 99.5 m is available to go on the 130 m boom. It will lift 2,820 tonnes at a 50 m radius, Sarens said. The crane was erected in six weeks.

The outer diameter of the ring at the base of the crane is 43.6 m and there are 96 wheels for the crane to run on around the double rail ring track. On the machinery deck there is room for 8 winches, each with a 60 tonne line pull. There are also six powerpacks, an electrical container and the operator cabin. Each of the 40 specially designed and constructed corrugated steel containers making up the counterweight weigh 100 tonnes when filled with local material. For transport the material is emptied out and they are used to ship parts and components of the crane.

Applications for the SGC cranes include bridge installation, petrochemical plant construction and refurbishment, nuclear plant works, module yards and major civil works projects. The SGC on the TCO project is creating employment for 490 people, Sarens said. Belgium headquartered Sarens has 1,600 cranes working in 65 countries, in 10 industry sectors and employs 4,100 people.