Built for the long term

摘要

Although bulk crane speed may not match container crane speed, which under some circumstances can complete a full loaded cycle in just over one minute, the shock loadings and force required to break a loaded grab free, necessitate a far stronger structure than that of a container crane. It is therefore unusual for a grab unloader to need replacing until it is at least 20 to 30 years old. This real- ity has focused the market on the delivery of cranes to new projects rather than retirement/replacement. The fact that bulk vessel size, in contrast to container vessel size, has been constant over the last 20 years and is unlikely to get any bigger in the foreseeable future, also means that there is negligible demand for larger units to suit new tonnage entering service.