Mammoet launches 6,614-ton mega crane

Mammoet’s SK6,000 is a 6,000 tonne capacity super heavy lift crane

A 6,614-ton (6,000 tonne) capacity super heavy lift crane has been announced by Mammoet.

The Netherlands-headquartered international heavy lift and transport specialist said the SK6,000 will typically be used to lift modules for the construction of FPSO projects, in bigger blocks. These can weigh up to 5,512 tons (5,000 tonnes), Mammoet said. It will also be able to handle, for example, a 1,654-ton 492-foot tall, flare tower in one piece. 

Mammoet said the SK6,000 allows EPCs to build bigger than ever before, with modules lifted directly onto the hull, without a requirement to rotate either the modules on land, or the ship.

The new crane follows the same design as the 5,512-ton capacity SK350 and the smaller SK190. While it can be erected on a full ring, the required set up area can be reduced by as much as 45 percent by just using a segment of track. This is due to the ballast being located in the centre of the ring and not at the rear on the opposite side of the ring from the boom foot.

SK6,000 will be able to lift and place a 150 metre tall flare tower weighing 1,500 tonnes in one piece

Maximum outreach is 472 feet while ground bearing pressure is designed to remain low.

Giovanni Alders, Mammoet sales director, said, “With its long outreach, small minimum footprint and relatively small site impact, the SK6,000 greatly reduces the topside integration time. Needless to say, with larger building blocks you spend less time connecting and testing, and more time producing.”

The news follows the announcement in May 2019 of the world’s largest land-based crane and big brother to all these SK cranes, the 10,000 tonne capacity SK10,000. Like the other super heavy lift Mammoet cranes this latest one is containerized for shipping. More news to follow on this new giant as it becomes available.