December 22 - Rapid Response Solutions (RRS) has transhipped a 40-tonne winch for vehicle manufacturer Saab Seaeye using a 60-tonne capacity hydraulic gantry system.
The winch was delivered to the UK by road and stored at RRS' Portsmouth facility for two weeks, before being delivered to the Port of Southampton and loaded on board a vessel for shipment abroad.
RRS was responsible for unloading the winch on arrival in Portsmouth, as well as loading the oversize unit back onto trucks for delivery to the UK port.
Paul Barber, managing director of RRS, explained that it was not practical to have a mobile crane waiting around the yard for the load to arrive, but the company could rig its Mega Lift gantry system - which was purchased from Claxton International two years ago - in advance, so that the truck could reverse under the beams ready for discharge.
The Mega Lift gantry was set up with four legs (towers) and two overhead beams (girders). The complete gantry system and load was then slid on tracks.
"It takes an hour or so to set up the Mega Lift but once rigged the lift took just minutes. It was operated by four individual controllers but, as they can be used in tandem, only two operators were required," said Barber.
The winch - which measured 4.5 m x 3.5 m x 3.5 m, was unloaded and moved into storage, while a smaller crane unloaded some of the associated equipment, including several smaller winches and cable drums.
