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there will be no provision for ro- vessels in markets to which we Combi-Lift has taken delivery OHT considers the crane mar-
ro operations as on BigLift’s stal- have no access.” of the third of its four dock ship ket to be a relatively small sector
wart HAPPY BUCCANEER. However, The remaining two dock ships series, COMBI DOCK III, which will compared to its core offshore ac-
it will be possible to sail with the operated by Dockwise were built enter the open market, as did the tivities, but it notes that with fall-
upper deck hatch covers open to as barge carriers for Ukraine Dan- first vessel, and is currently under- ing demand for rig moves due to
enable over-height loads to be ube Shipping in 1984. They were taking its maiden voyage from the low oil price levels making
carried, under certain draught/ acquired by Dockwise from Smit northern Europe to Shanghai. some offshore exploration projects
freeboard restrictions. in 2003. EXPLORER operates in the Proving the versatility of the unviable, crane moves are always
yacht transport division and EN- design, the second ship in the se- a good reference to have.
Filling a gap TERPRISE is busy undertaking ries, delivered in October last year The charter was undertaken,
The new D-class ships are also re- smaller contracts for dredger and as COMBI DOCK II, has gone on 5- according to OHT, “at market
quired to cover the loss of the four auxiliary floating plant moves. year charter to the Mexican off- rates” and not simply used to re-
Cosco-owned “Da” vessels cur- shore contractor Blue Marine and deploy the ship to northern Eu-
rently managed by BigLift. These Flooding the market renamed BLUE GIANT. rope following its conversion.
are needed within the Chinese
group’s liner service operation
A Beluga Shipping E-class ship was able to carry an unusually large number of
Dockwise is disposing of its last The original specification was ZPMC was quite active late last
Noell RTGs by unbolting complete leg structures from one side and fastening
two dock type ships at scrap plus upgraded to include a full DP sys- year making enquiries in the char-
between China and West Africa.
them to the gantries inboard, thus allowing transversal transport
cost, and retaining the smaller but tem, with two 1000 kW bow ter market.
However, Coscol will remain less flexible ex-Smit 8700 dwt thrusters in addition to the origi- Perhaps with a downturn in
the commercial agent for BigLift shipyard that would be put under is struggling under a US$1B debt floodable hold carriers, at a time nal 760 kW unit, plus two 600 kW the container crane market, it may
in China and when the Da vessels a management contract with that its owners, 3i, has loaded it when both Combi-Lift and stern thrusters. A helideck was not be cost-effective to invest in
are not needed for the Coscol liner BigLift. However, Furtrans has with, has sold the last remaining Rolldock are endorsing this con- mounted forward of the wheel- extensive life-extension mainte-
services, they will be offered back “deferred” their construction due dock type ships, DOCK EXPRESS 10 cept, having ordered 10 similar house and modular accommoda- nance and refurbishment pro-
to BigLift on a short term basis. to the credit finance climate. and 12, with which it pioneered ships between them. tion for 200 workers was installed. grammes as may be required by
Their absence from the BigLift fully-erect crane moves. A com- Delivery of the first of the six classification societies.
fleet will be made up in 2010 Crane moves petitor in the semi-submersible 8300 dwt Rolldock ships, from Chartering out ZPMC and other crane manu-
when the D-4 newbuildings start Dockwise secured some US$42M market suggested that “apparently Larsen & Toubro, has been delayed ZPMC recently undertook the facturers also have the opportu-
to enter service. Prior to the de- worth of orders in the first quar- crane transport is no longer any somewhat. However, Rolldock unusual step of chartering a vessel nity of chartering from companies
cision to go ahead with these or- ter of this year, including the trans- priority [for Dockwise].” appears to be getting a bargain, to undertake the move of five such as Coscol, which operates
ders, BigLift was set to enter a port of four Noell cranes from The dock ships are arguably with L&T quoting a price for the superpost-panamax cranes from its two 20,000 dwt semi-submersible
similar management venture with China to Abu Dhabi. This follows too small and uncompetitive for first pair of some US$70M, well Shanghai plant to the MCT Gioia vessels, TAI AN KOU and KANG SHEN
the Turkish operator Furtrans. a move of four Konecranes cranes superpost-Panamax crane moves below the US$60M apiece Tauro (last month’s WorldCargo KOU, managed by the Dutch com-
This company was planning to from China to Savannah in De- and were sold in March to Chi- claimed for the slightly larger News, p13). HEAVYLIFT HAWK was pany NMA. These two 2002/3-
construct five 17,000 dwt vessels cember on TEAL. nese interests. Dockwise maintains 11,000 dwt Combi-Lift ships built converted from a Suezmax tanker built ships have mainly been en-
with 2 x 400t cranes at its own However, the company, which that “the buyer will operate both at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven. at a Chinese yard to a 54,000 dwt gaged in the offshore market, al-
semi-submersible heavy lift vessel, though they have carried con-
mainly for transporting semi-sub- tainer cranes and RTGs.
mersible rigs and other heavy off- Coscol currently has two so-
shore plant, the main activity of phisticated 50,000 dwt semi-sub-
the ship’s owner, Offshore Heavy mersible ships due for delivery late
Transport (OHT) which has three next year and if market conditions
other similar conversions. in the offshore sector remain flat,
OHT notes that the crane it could be that the newer ships
move, although “lightweight” by will focus on the available con-
its experience, posed different tracts, leaving the two smaller ves-
technical challenges in terms of sea sels to secure business in the “sec-
fastenings and the forces imposed ondary” markets, such as dredger
on the structures at sea. transport and crane moves. a74
Mobile project loads
Reggiane recently selected assembled condition in the hold.
Condock of Germany to transport Meanwhile, the latest type 176
three complete mobile harbour delivered by J J Sietas to SAL,
cranes from Italy to customers in REGINE, has carried out her maiden
Northern Europe. The top picture voyage, calling both Rostock and
shows CONDOCK V with the cranes Sunderland to load partly-assem-
already rolled on under their own bled Liebherr cranes. In Rotter-
power via the vessel’s stern ramp dam the vessel took on a tug
and ready for shipment from the weighing 500t destined for Sin-
crane plant at Monfalcone Italy. gapore, in Antwerp steel was
The bigger cranes towards the loaded and finally a 730t boiler
stern were model MHC 5120 was loaded in Porto Marghera.
cranes shipped to Ghent. The SAL’s cancellation of the
crane in the foreground, a smaller 12,900 dwt type 179 series, which
MHC 115, was then delivered to would have been equipped with
Vejle Havn in Denmark two NSM cranes with an unprec-
The lower picture shows four edented 2 x 1000t lift capacity, has
Liebherr LHM 400 mobile har- not helped J J Sietas, but the ship-
bour cranes on board SAL’s type yard’s difficulties are connected
176 FRAUKE at Liebherr’s water- with changes in Germany’s KG
side plant in Rostock, ready for ship financing system and the lack
shipment to the customer in Ku- of credit available to investors, as
wait. As well as transporting two well as the general economic re-
partly assembled cranes on deck, cession (search worldcargonews.com
the ship carried two more in dis- under J J Sietas for more). a74
32 March 2009
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