Get FinancingChesapeake Shipbuilding Hopes Link-Belt’s RTC-80130 Will Help Launch A Thousand Ships
Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corporation of Salisbury, Maryland, has designed and built commercial ships for over 30 years on the Wicomico River near the Chesapeake Bay. The shipbuilder uses the long-trusted gravitational, longitudinal oiled slideways method to launch its vessels, which requires the use of ways that are 50 feet long by 9 ft tall (15.2 by 2.7 meters) and weigh 22,000 pounds (9,979 kilograms). To pick up and carry the launch ways, Chesapeake purchased a 130-ton (118-metric-ton) Link-Belt RTC-80130 Series II rough-terrain crane.
Ways & Means
When a ship is launched, the ways fall into the river along with the ship and are then retrieved by the crane. The slider ways are fitted with buoys to ensure they can easily be located for lifting. The heaviest of the sliders weigh in at 15,000 lbs (6,800 kg) and are lifted at a radius of 85 ft (26 m). With the RTC-80130, Chesapeake uses 115 ft (35 m) of the crane’s 162-ft (49-m) boom rigged at a 45-degree angle.
“With the advent of the next generation of cruise ships, it is necessary for us to think and implement bigger, better, and faster methods toward our equipment and land procedures to meet our clientele’s projections,” says Chesapeake Shipbuilding Senior Marine Engineer John Romanchak.
The Perfect Fit For The Job
Chesapeake Shipbuilders is located on a 13-acre (5.25-hectare) gravel site with two slideway launching sites. The RTC-80130 was an ideal choice for quick pick-and-carry tasks and for maneuvering in tight spaces.
“Since we are constrained by our covered building size, the other advantage of having this crane is to allow us to build up our ships taller and denser once launched in the water basin,” Romanchak says. “In the past, we had to stage many piles of steel structure, and steel bulkheads by the boat. The crane would have to go to each one of those piles. It could only locally place those pieces of steel.”
"A Major Timesaver"
The RTC-80130 enables Chesapeake to use one crane location and several pile locations on either side of the boat thanks to the 162-foot boom. “During construction of a boat, it is very beneficial to start dropping outfitting material before the next deck goes on,” says Romanchak. “We use a special 10-point magnet jig to place the 40 ft by 10 ft metal sheets. This 80130 can handle it, so it’s going to be a major timesaver when they use it.”
The crane is also capable of lifting 18,000-lb (8,165-kg) engines at a distance of 90 ft (27 m) away for the construction of tugboats, eliminating the need to rent a crane for the task. The RTC-80130 has a maximum tip height of 278 ft (85 m), a 6-wheel hydrostatic drive with fully independent hydraulic suspension, and 4-mode steering.
Source: Link-Belt