SURVEY JAXPORT CRANES TRANSPORTS

Project Summary

A total of 4 Mitsui container cranes were relocated from Los Angeles, CA, to Jacksonville, FL, in two separate voyages. The first voyage took place in late summer of 2008. Argonautics Marine Engineering, Inc. provided the marine warranty survey for both tows. Before transport, the cranes were lowered by about 10 m in order to allow for a safe passage under some of the bridges along the tow route. The lowered cranes, weighing approximately 850 t each, were loaded onto the 300 x 84 ft cargo barge WESTERN CARRIER using skid tracks and 4 skid shoes. After loading, they were secured with pipe bracings. Loose items, containers, leg sections, and skid equipment were secured with welded clips and/or chain lashings.

Upon receipt of the tow approval certificate, the tug and barge departed Los Angeles. Mid July, the tow transited the Panama Canal. Early August, the first two cranes arrived in Jacksonville, FL, where the barge was ballasted down to minimum freeboard for going under the Dames Point bridge. A few days later, the cranes were successfully offloaded and lowered onto their new rails, ready to be jacked back up again to their original height. The empty barge returned to Los Angles to pick the second set of cranes.

Scope of Work

The project scope included:

Project Photographs

specialists in marine heavy-lift transportation engineering

naval architects

marine surveyors

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Est. 1992

■	Loading and offloading ballast calculations;
■	Bridge passage ballast and stability calculations;
■	Review of design criteria and resulting barge motions/crane accelerations;
■	Review of the proposed crane reinforcement and seafastening plan;
■	Attend the loading operations in Los Angeles;
■	Survey the cranes with respect to tow readiness and internal securings;
■	Survey the seafastenings of the cranes, the miscellaneous cargo items, and all loading equipment;
■	Inspect the barge WESTERN CARRIER and its towing connections;
■	Inspect the 3,400 hp coastal tug WESTERN RANGER and its towing gear;
■	Attend the offloading operations in Jacksonville.

Western Carrier deaprts with 2 Mitsui cranes

Barge WESTERN CARRIER loaded with the 2 lowered Mitsui cranes

Skidding on first crane

Second crane loaded

Skidding first crane onto dock

Barge with second carne