New chain wheel handling system for tugs and supply vessels

Finland’s Cargotec has developed a new system for tug and supply vessels to change chain wheels while at sea. This system has the potential to eliminate countless trips to and from port.  The company’s new MacGregor Chain Wheel Manipulator has won the Innovation of the Year award from an offshore support journal.

“We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award, particularly in the face of strong competition from a shortlist representing the best in innovative design from across the industry,” said Frode Grovan, director, sales and marketing in the company’s advanced load handling group.

The MacGregor Chain Wheel Manipulator enables an anchor handler to safely change chain wheels at sea, an operation which previously usually required returning to port.

NEW ANCHOR HANDLING SOLUTION

Anchor-handling tug/supply vessels (AHTS) must be able to handle a variety of chain sizes employed in subsea mooring operations. As a result, they carry a range of interchangeable chain wheels, which can weigh up to 12 tonnes. Cargotec has developed the MacGregor Chain Wheel Manipulator in response to a request from shipbuilder STX. The shipbuilder required a solution for five STX OSV design AHTS vessels under construction for DOF by STX Norway Offshore’s subsidiary, STX Offshore Brazil. These vessels are intended for operations off the Brazilian coast, under long-term contracts with Petrobras, which specified that it should be possible to change chain wheels at sea.

“Changing a chain wheel was previously complicated and labor intensive, and any movement of the vessel caused by wind or waves made it unacceptably hazardous, forcing a vessel to return to port and change the wheel alongside,” said Mr Grovan.“The trend offshore is to introduce remote-controlled devices that keep crew members clear of potentially hazardous operations, while also improving a vessel’s profitability. Cargotec developed the Chain Wheel Manipulator to meet both of these objectives. It is designed in accordance with Det Norske Veritas rules for certification of lifting appliances, and can accommodate chain wheels of various sizes, covering all anchor-handling demands likely to be made of any AHTS”.

The first installation of Cargotec’s MacGregor Chain Wheel Manipulator was for DOF’s 95 m anchor-handling tug/supply vessel (AHTS) Skandi Amazonas, which also features a MacGregor offshore crane.

Cargotec Oyj, headquartered in Helsinki, provides global cargo and load-handling solutions through daughter brands Hiab, Kalmar, and MacGregor. MacGregor provides engineering and service solutions for the maritime transportation industry and the offshore load-handling and naval logistics markets are used on board merchant ships, offshore support vessels, and in ports and terminals.

Cargotec's global network includes 600 locations in 120 countries, offering extensive services to ensure the continuous, reliable and sustainable equipment performance. The company employs about 11,000 people.