Heavy Lifting in Norfolk

We arrived on schedule in Norfolk on the morning of the 28th. As expected, we made excellent time along the coast as we were able to gain considerable speed from the Gulf Stream. The usual working speed of the ship is about 19.5 knots, but we were able to consistently travel at 23 knots or a little more with the same engine speed. Our arrival was a bit embarrassing to this American as we had to wait about twenty minutes for the ship to be made fast to the wharf. This wasn't due to any technical difficulty, but rather to the intransigence of the dock crew to so much as touch a mooring line until 10:30, apparently because of some work rules. Instead of quickly securing the ship the two mooring teams stood next to their cars and talked, occasionally holding up a cell phone to indicate to the pilot and our crew that they would make no effort until the appointed time.

The Rickmers Jakarta is a heavy-lift cargo ship and as such is equipped with four cargo cranes, two of which, the No 2 and No 3 cranes, have a maximum lifting capacity of 320 tons each. The advertised maximum lift capacity of the two of them working in concert therefore is 640 tons. There are only a limited number of ships worldwide with this capability so the business of transporting heavy objects around the globe is a lucrative one for Rickmers. Here in Norfolk we had the opportunity to observe a tandem crane operation to load a large generator destined for Singapore.

Preparations for the lift began before our arrival. The object to be lifted, a generator manufactured by Siemens in North Carolina, was waiting on a track alongside the berth, cradled in a specially designed rail car. The weight of the generator was 340 tons, so it would require the use of the two cranes to safely bring it on board.

When working in tandem the usual crane hooks are removed and each crane is then attached to opposite ends of a large spreader bar. Cables are then slung from the spreader bar and used to secure the load for lifting.

Every aspect of this operation is challenging due to the sheer size and weight of the equipment involved. In order to remove the usual crane hooks the crew first placed specially designed cradles on the deck. Once these were in place the large hooks were lowered into the cradles which would serve to keep the hooks secure and upright once they were removed from the pulley. The size of these hooks becomes obvious when seen on deck and surrounded by the crew. Each one is almost as tall as a man and weighs several hundred kilos.



In order to release the hook the crew needs to remove a large pin which itself weighs many tens of kilos. This was accomplished through the use of sledgehammers and brute strength, abetted by some clever use of the smaller crane hook. Once the securing pin was loosed the pulley assembly and counterweight were attached to one end of the spreader bar. The process was repeated with the No 3 crane but only after the crew had finished installing a number of H-beams on the floor of the No 3 port-side hold. These beams would serve as a base for the generator to spread the heavy weight over a larger area.

It was very interesting to watch the preparations and we were impressed by the thoroughness and patience of the crew. This was all done in what can charitably be described as miserable weather; cold and raw with a steady rain and occasional sleet. There was also considerable time pressure to complete the lift during daylight so that we could depart for Philadelphia that night.

At approximately 16:30 all the preparations were complete and the spreader bar was lifted by the two cranes and positioned over the generator with the lifting cables dangling from shackles that themselves weigh about 120 kg each. The two crane operators need to work in perfect harmony to control the spreader and ultimately lift the cargo as each crane functions independently. The two operators, the ship's Bosun, Roderick and one of the more senior A/Bs, Joey, executed their tasks flawlessly.

The lift itself was slow and methodical. Once the spreader was over the generator the cables were affixed to the lifting points along the sides. With a barely perceptible motion the two cranes began to take on the weight of the load. As the cables tightened the ship tilted slightly to port but the Chief Officer compensated for this by transferring ballast water to the opposite tanks. Once the generator was lifted to a height sufficient to clear the ship's rail it was moved on board by the two cranes and lowered into the waiting hold. Unfortunately I wasn't able to observe the final descent as our view was blocked by the hatch cover.

Once inside the hold there was still much work to be done to secure the load for the long trip to Singapore. Obviously all cargo needs to be properly secured to prevent damage to either it or the ship while in transit, but one can only imagine the potential threat that such a large load could represent. Fortunately there are extensive guidelines on exactly how such loads need to be stowed, and the crew makes use of all manner of securing devices such as chains, cables, welded stays and lumber. The cranes also had to be restored to their usual configuration, so the earlier process was reversed and the hooks reattached and all was made secure for departure.