Japanese lifting gear specialist Nakamura Industry supplied Modulift spreader beams that have been used to lift EMU3000 trains at Hualien port in Taiwan.
Below the hook, the Nakamura’s customer employed two MOD 34 spreader beams at a span of 3.5 m, providing four lifting points beneath the train to evenly distribute the weight.
The two spreader beams were attached to drop links and shackles at the end of each beam, with synthetic round slings below the beams, and wire rope slings above, allowing for safe lifting of the train onto the vessel. The spreader beams were then disassembled, with the same method used to unload the train at Hualien Port.
Hitachi has been delivering the EMU3000 trains since 2021, with the remainder of the trains due to be delivered and installed this year. A total of 50 12-car trains (total 600 cars) have been built for Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) to replacing 30-year-old units. The new trains will increase capacity and allow passengers to travel around the island of Taiwan in six hours.
Sumihide Haruta, executive officer and general manager, sales division at Nakamura Industry said: “The Modulift spreader beams’ adaptable design allowed our customer to safely configure the lift for the EMU3000. These beams were transported with the train, facilitating easy disassembly, shipping, and reassembly before offloading.”
Sarah Spivey, managing director of Modulift added: “Modulift spreader beams are portable, lightweight, and easy to transport and store. They proved to be the ideal lifting solution for safely transporting the train from Japan to Taiwan. We are pleased to be part of this important project in Taiwan, contributing to the enhancement of their rail infrastructure which is due for completion this year.”
Modulift spreader beams are interchangeable allowing them to be reused over many lifts and are lightweight and modular in design. All spreader beams in the standard range from 6 tons (5.4 tonnes) to 2,000 tons (1,814.4 tonnes) come with DNV Type Approval.
