KNUCKLE BOOMS Ӏ FLOATING FLEET INTERVIEW
WARRIORS WATERWAY We ask UK-based The Rothen Group about its floating fleet of knuckle boom crane boats.
UK-based The Rothen Group – a specialist in marine plant hire and civil engineering, piling hammer hire and ecological services – has one of the largest fleet of crane boats in the UK. These crane boats, that are primarily used on cannals, are equipped with knuckle booms to deliver lifting solutions to sites that land-based cranes cannot reach. We speak to Russell Sweet, head of workshop, and Dan Harding, head of marine plant hire, at The Rothen Group to find out more about their barge- mounted knuckle boom crane boat fleet…
How many knuckle boom cranes do you have in your crane boat fleet? Dan Harding (DH): We currently have 21 crane boats in our fleet, and typically we expand our fleet by one to two crane
boats per year as we are seeing a lot of demand for lifting works from the waterways.
What makes/manufacturers do these cranes include? Russell Sweet (RS): Most of our crane boats are installed with HMF cranes but we do also have Palfinger, Hiab, and Bonfiglioli cranes within our fleet.
What lifting capacities and outreach do these cranes cover? RS: Our fleet ranges from 6 to 50 tonnes per meter, and our maximum lifting capacity is 2.71 tonnes at a 14.4 metres radius. We have the ability to lift nine tonnes directly over the side of the boat to make operations efficient. We maintain a diverse fleet so we can tailor
equipment choices to specific project requirements and operational contexts.
Are your cranes electric or diesel powered? RS: All our cranes are powered by diesel boat engines.
How are they operated? RS: We can operate most of our equipment both via controls on the crane, and through remote control on a ‘chest pack’. These remote control systems are equipped with a six-lever control system that allow operators to maintain a safe distance from the crane and the load, reducing the risk of injury during operations.
Not only is it safer, but remote lifting makes for a more flexible and accurate
46 CRANES TODAY
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