• Enables faster construction across energy sector
Mammoet, a heavy lifting and transport company, plans to reduce integration times for offshore floating projects and enhance the delivery of onshore new build and expansion projects in the oil and gas sector with a land-based crane, adjudged the world’s strongest.
   
The development is coming on the backdrop of increased global energy demands, especially in Africa, where population growth is projected to hit the global highest in the coming decade.
  
Mammoet said in a release that the SK6000 would revolutionise construction methodologies, allowing large-scale energy and infrastructure projects to be completed faster and more cost-effectively. 
   
The crane enables the construction of bigger components in parallel, accelerating project timelines and helping achieve first power sooner.
   
The SK6000, according to the release, will play a critical role in the offshore wind sector, where rapid growth in component sizes has strained supply chains. 
  
With the ability to lift 3,000t to a height of 220 meters, the crane ensures the safe execution of wind farm projects currently in the planning stages.
    
It noted that modular construction techniques, which allow critical components to be built offsite and transported to the installation site, benefit from the crane’s capabilities.

With the increasing number of nuclear plants being approved, the company expects SK6000 to support the nuclear sector by enabling faster project completion and contributing to the delivery of low-carbon energy.
    
The SK6000 has a maximum lifting capacity of 6,000t and uses 4,200t of ballast, with a ground bearing pressure of 30t/m². Designed for ease of transport, the crane can be shipped anywhere in the world using standard shipping containers.
   
It also offers full electric power capability, either through batteries or direct connection to the grid, allowing customers to reduce the carbon footprint of their projects.
     
Director of Global Services at Mammoet, Gavin Kerr, described the crane as a world-record feat of engineering, with a production schedule to match.
    
“Hundreds of colleagues across the company have contributed to its development. There are very few companies on Earth that could have made this crane a reality, and we are immensely proud to have done so,” Kerr said. 
    
The SK6000 is currently undergoing testing at Mammoet’sWestdorpe facility in the Netherlands and is scheduled to be deployed on its first project later this year.