Cranes play an important role when it comes to heavy construction projects. May it be soil, land, or water, cranes do most of the heavy lifting. However, cranes have their limitations as well. This is why there are a variety of cranes with crane services and amongst them are floating cranes. Let’s discuss it in detail.

What To Know About Floating Cranes?

Floating cranes tend to be heavy lifting machines that are mostly used for constructing bridges and ports. These cranes are used to lift and load heavy items for loading or unloading from ships. Plus, they are also used for shifting equipment from one platform to another and placing equipment.

However, floating cranes have limitations just as any other crane, small or large. The vessel needs to be stable and the wind and weather need to be calm. You cannot risk using a floating crane when the weather outside is extreme. Before using float cranes, all these factors should be carefully considered.

Crane Vessels

When construction companies need something rough and tough that can handle harsh environments, crane vessels jump into action. These machines are used for both marine and offshore operations. When it comes to designing cranes, the load conditions and stress tend to be the two most important factors.

Common Crane Vessels

Semi-Submersible

Semi-submersible crane vessels are designed to be submerged partially into water. This is done to ensure that the crane does not fall inside. Furthermore, the maximum lifting weight for semi-submersible crane vessels is around 14,000 metric tons.

It is because of these cranes that, these day, businesses and contractors can easily assemble oil rigs in the ocean in a couple of weeks only. Back in the day, it would take months. The oil boom of the 70s gave birth to a lot of such machines around the world. However, when the boom ended in the 80s, relatively fewer floating cranes could be seen in the ocean.

Crane Types

Stiff Boom Crane

The stiff boom cranes are designed to work with general cargo. These cranes feature a hydraulic winch that helps them lift the load. Additionally, a boom is used to lower or raise the load according to the preferred height. While handling stiff loads, stiff boom cranes are used that are perfectly balanced and either lift the load straight or down. Since these cranes have no drift, they are the safest option for lifting fragile loads indefinitely. Crane operators can easily reach over fences and walls using these cranes. In addition to that, the cylinders and hoses are located inside the machine that protects them from harsh conditions.

Telescopic Boom Crane

These cranes come with permanent winches. These machines feature a wire rope that allows them to precisely place the loads. Similar to the stiff boom cranes, the telescopic boom cranes can also lift heavy loads without any drifts for long periods of time thanks to the winch and holding valves.

Knuckle Boom Crane

These cranes are perhaps the easiest to take care of since they feature fewer joints. However, these cranes tend to be more vulnerable to wear and tear. This is because as it lifts the load, the energy goes to the extension cylinders and boom structure first and then the crane structure and lift cylinder. Plus, the knuckle boom cranes are not able to suspend loads. These machines can only be used to load and unload items.

Foldable Telescopic Boom Crane

These cranes, as the term suggests, can fold into a compact size and require less space. It includes two booms including the main boom and an outer boom. These booms are attached to a knuckle that allows the entire boom structure to move in and out. These popular because of their less space requirements.

Final Word

Floating cranes are essential when it comes to lifting and unloading loads. However, there are several factors such as the vessel stability and the wind and weather conditions that can sometimes make the job difficult. But when the time comes, floating cranes are the only option to get the task done within time. If your work has to do ships and bridges, you should rent floating cranes from crane rentals VA among other small and large cranes.