The Maersk Texas, a 19,500 dwt Maersk-Rickmers U.S. flag heavy-lift project carrier recently lifted and moved a pair of support craft for the U.S. Navy, the largest of which weighed in at 220 metric tons. Both vessels were lifted using the 240 MT Liebherr cranes and have since been transported across the Pacific Ocean.
Rigging up a lift such as this is not a simple task. Vessel stability, crane capacity, sling capacity, shackles and many other factors come into play to ensure a lift doesn’t fail.
When a lift does fail, in some cases it does so in spectacular fashion…
Watch: Cargo Ship Drops 132 Ton Locomotive While Suspended 15 Feet in the Air
Maersk Texas will be departing from Albany, New York in three days for a two week voyage to Turkey to transport U.S.-manufactured power plant equipment. The equipment was financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank and will be a critical component for a Turkish power generation project led by the industrial company HabaÅŸ. When it comes online, the HabaÅŸ 800 megawatt combined cycle power plant will be capable of providing power to approximately one million homes. Turkey is one of nine growth countries on which Ex-Im has focused U.S. exports in support of infrastructure investments.
“In addition to Ex-Im Bank projects, the two heavy-lift ships support a variety of U.S. flag customers, including the U.S. military. We’re pleased to move military craft and support Ex-Im financed projects all over the world. The ships’ value to customers is evident in the business we’re receiving,” said Gordan Van Hook, Senior Director at Maersk Line, Limited.
Images (c) Maersk-Rickmers