Experts Partner to Launch Fiber-rope Crane

The new crane has been developed by combining MacGregor's offshore crane technology with the fiber-rope tensioning technology perfected by Parkburn Precision Handling Systems. The companies have entered into a cooperation agreement to combine MacGregor's offshore crane expertise with Parkburn's fiber-rope tensioning technology. 

“MacGregor recognizes that by partnering with experts in specific technological areas, it can deliver solutions that exceed its own capabilities,” explained MacGregor's Vice President, R&D and Technology, Baard Trondahl Alsaker. “We see ourselves as being able to integrate the best technology available to deliver systems with technology-leading capabilities.”

The new MacGregor crane features a simple-to-operate fiber-rope lifting system that employs Parkburn's tensioning technology. The Parkburn equipment eliminates the heating and degradation problems associated with on-load fiber ropes stored on winch drums. It can accommodate non-uniformities resulting from splices in the rope.

“This is an important advance for handling loads at depth,” Alsaker said. “The great advantage of fiber rope in this context is that it weighs virtually nothing in water, so regardless of the length of rope paid out, it does not add anything to the load experienced by the crane. This is in complete contrast to the situation with wire rope, where the ever increasing weight of wire paid out limits the load permissible in relation to depth.”

The new crane will be introduced to the market as a 150T fully heave-compensated knuckle boom crane with capability of reaching 4,000 meters of water depth, but the offering will be extended to the complete range of MacGregor subsea crane fleet.

The MacGregor fiber rope technology is also suitable for retrofit on existing subsea cranes. This enables upgrading the capabilities of existing construction vessel fleet without having to build new vessels, an important feature to meet the requirement for reducing the cost level of the industry.

Parkburn is a U.K.-based marine handling systems provider that has spent over 40 years perfecting the deep-water handing systems required in fire-rope cranes. Its fiber-rope winch system can be delivered as digitally controlled electrically-driven, or hydraulic-driven. Features include integral active-heave compensation and power regeneration capabilities.