New 8,000 tonne crane from ALE

Global heavy lift and transport company ALE has announced its latest heavy lifting solution, the 8,000 tonne capacity AL.SK700, IC exclusively reveals.

Joining the Innovation Series, the new AL.SK700 will be able to lift loads of up to 8,000 tonnes. Its maximum load moment rating will be 708,000 tonne-metres. It will combine two AL.SK350 – the largest capacity land-based cranes in the world, the company said – into one heavy lifting system that will operate with two 4,000 tonne winch systems and two hook blocks.

The new crane is ideally suited to lift super-heavy modules found in the offshore and shipbuilding industry, and will be operated from a control room by one single operator, ALE said.

It is fully containerised for shipping globally so can be deployed to all locations and across different market sectors, the company explained.

“At present, our revolutionary AL.SK350 has the lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes and a maximum load moment of 354,000 tonne-metres,” explained Giovanni Alders, sales manager at ALE global projects division.

“We are receiving requests to lift up to 7,000 tonnes, particularly in the shipbuilding and offshore sector with the integration of heavier floating production, storage and offloading [FPSO] and liquefied natural gas [LNG] modules onto new build hulls. We are always looking for innovative ways to solve our clients’ challenges and reduce project schedules and money spent. By joining two cranes together into the AL.SK700, we can lift loads weighing 8,000 tonnes, which has never been previously achievable. This highly mobile solution will give clients the opportunity to build super-heavy modules and structures in any fabrication yard around the world.”