Marr’s M2480D in action at PKSW reline project

HLPFI reported in July 2024 that Marr Contracting had been awarded a contract to provide heavy lifting services for the BlueScope No. 6 blast furnace reline project at PKSW in New South Wales, Australia.

The removal of the 170-tonne, 54 m-long downcomer was completed using the 330-tonne capacity M2480D, with Marr’s 400-tonne Grove mobile crane used to assist. Once removed and lowered to the ground, the downcomer was rotated and placed on supports, before being reconfigured for transport.

Engineered and planned by BlueScope in collaboration with Marr, the companies said that the use of luffing tower crane, in this instance, provided a simpler and safer alternative to using a traditional heavy lift crawler approach. With previous experience removing similar sections of plant on a similarly congested worksite, BlueScope’s team knew that using a large crawler crane and superlift combination would present numerous challenges due to the location of the project and the restricted space available onsite.

According to PKSW project director, Justin Reed: “Marr’s team have challenged our traditional thinking by enabling large sections of equipment that were previously maintained in situ to be lifted to ground for repairs or replacement.

“The capability and capacity of the M2480D is a true game-changer for our project. At vertical industrial sites like a Blast Furnace we have always wished there was a ‘sky-hook’ that could deliver a lift at any point on the plant, and now we have a solution with significant lifting capacity.”

Marr’s solution also provides BlueScope with an instant crane solution for a large volume of smaller lifts at site during the relining process. Installed on a bespoke 7.5 m x 7.5m piled foundation, the M2480D provides the heavy lifting capacity required with the additional benefits of a small footprint and long reach across the project.

The refurbished downcomer will be reinstalled using Marr’s M2480D in mid-2025.