Mammoet Uses Luffing-Jib-Equipped Crane to Set 450-Ton Vessel

 

September 19, 2018 - Mammoet recently equipped its Liebherr LR 13000 crawler crane with 315’ of boom, 236’ of luffing jib, 177’ of derrick (mast), and 2.09 million lbs. of suspended ballast counterweight, to set a 495-U.S.-ton process vessel onto structural supporting steel at a processing plant in Texas. 

Earlier in the project, the LR 13000 had been equipped as described above, except without the luffing jib to set vessels weighing 500 and 750 U.S. tons. 

By adding the luffing jib to make the recent lifts, Mammoet saved time, minimized plant disruption, and completed its major lifts for the expansion of a Gulf Coast polypropylene plant. 

Scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2020, the expansion will boost the plant’s production capacity by 450,000 ton/year. 

After careful analysis of the construction plan and the lifts needed, Mammoet concluded that the most efficient approach would be to place one crane capable of performing all lifts from a single location. That approach required a crane with more than 525’ of reach and a capacity of almost 550 U.S. tons. Mammoet's LR 13000 was the right crane. 

After the first round of lifts were completed in July, Mammoet reconfigured the LR13000 with a luffing jib to make 16 more lifts, ranging from 38.5 to 482 tons. During several of the lifts, the total load radius was nearly 423’. 

The heaviest component, a purge bin, was lifted from saddle supports with tailing help from Mammoet’s Demag CC 2800, then carefully swung 180° and set into an existing support structure in a three-hour window. 

Project Manager Eddie Ramos attributes the successful scope completion to Mammoet’s ability to work in close collaboration with the customer to find the most efficient solution. 

 

“Mammoet safely installed all major equipment using only the LR13000. By applying different boom configurations to extend its reach, the crane could carry out the lifts from one location,” he said. “This, in conjunction with the knowledgeable crew on site, saved time and minimized disruption to surrounding works, ultimately helping to meet the client’s schedule.”