Sarens, the Belgium-headquartered heavy lift and engineered transport specialist, has christened its SGC 250 – a ring-based heavy lift crane boasting a maximum lifting moment of 250,000 tonne/metres.
Sarens’ giant new SGC 250 crane - named Big Carl - has completed most of its test lifts and will be ready to enter service in the first quarter of 2019, said ceo Wim Sarens.
The SGC 250 - the successor to the SGC 140 (maximum lifting moment of 140,000 tonne/metre) - will be mobilised to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project, where it will remain for a minimum of four years.
The new SGC 250 has a maximum lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes. The main boom, measuring up to 160-m long, can be supplemented with a 100-m long, heavy duty jib. “In absolute technical terms, it is, at this point in time, the largest crane in the world in terms of size and capacity.
“We are aware that these classifications are difficult to make because various factors are taken into consideration but, when the combination of size and capacity are considered, the SGC 250 is a winner for now,” said Wim Sarens.
The ring design allows for flexible relocation between lifting sites, as well as providing a compact and stable platform for performing super-heavy lifts. It also has a compact footprint and low ground-bearing pressure.
Wim Sarens added: “The design and specifications of the SGC 120 and subsequent models, the SGC 140 and the SGC 250, were made in-house by our Sarens Engineering team. The construction was also completed in house. We order the components from a selection of companies in Europe.”
To create this latest model, the diameter of the ring was extended creating a more-stable lifting base. The boom system was upgraded with heavier components, with the design tweaked to aid erection and assembly.
Sarens added that the SGC 250 will set the standard for heavy-duty cranes, and has the potential to be mobilised to a variety of jobs once its role at Hinkley Point C is complete. These are likely to be newbuild nuclear power plant projects, large FPSO modular installations, as well as the next generation of petrochemical newbuilds and upgrades.
www.sarens.com
