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G HMK 4406 Mobile Harbour Crane handling wind turbine components for generating electricity at the Spanish Port of Ferrol. A crane of this type will soon be handling pipe sections for the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic. |
Düsseldorf, 1 April 2010 – Gottwald Port Technology GmbH (Gottwald), a subsidiary of Demag Cranes AG, has received an order from the Norwegian NorSea Group for a new Mobile Harbour Crane. The G HMK 4406, a Model 4 crane, will be used in the Finish Port of Hanko for handling pipeline sections for the new Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea.
Nord Stream Pipeline
The construction of the Nord Stream pipeline from Vyborg in Russia to Lubmin in Germany is
one of the most prestigious infrastructure projects in progress in Europe. The pipeline runs the
length of the Baltic Sea and, when completed, will transport up to 55 billion cubic metres of
Russian natural gas each year to Europe. The aim is to commence laying the first of the 200,000
pipe sections required for the two pipeline strings, extending for around 1220 km, in spring 2010.
Some of the pipe sections for the first string of the pipeline are being manufactured in Russia
from where they will be transported to the Finish maritime port of Kotka. Here, each of the
sections (which weigh around 11 tonnes) is given a concrete weight coating to make them weigh twice
as much, around 23 tonnes, to ensure they lie firmly on the seabed. The concrete coated pipe
sections are then shipped from Kotka to Hanko, where the Finish marshalling yard is located.
G HMK 4406 Mobile Harbour Crane for the Hanko Marshalling Yard
At this marshalling yard, to the west of Helsinki, where a total of 40,000 pipe sections will
be handled, the new G HMK 4406 Mobile Harbour Crane will be responsible for handling these pipe
sections between the quayside and the laying barge supply vessels. The G HMK 4406 is a
diesel-electric machine from Gottwald's 100-tonne class. This crane has a flexible lifting capacity
curve allowing it to handle loads of up to 57 tonnes across a wide radius. The 57 tonnes are
calculated as the weights of two pipe sections of 23 tonnes each, making 46 tonnes in total, plus a
special-purpose pipe spreader. Like all Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes, the
G HMK 4406 can be used in conjunction with suitable attachments for handling containers,
general cargo and bulk materials, which provides crane operating companies with maximum
cargo-handling flexibility over long periods of time.
Efficient, Reliable and Environmentally Compatible
“We are looking forward to having the G HMK 4406 Mobile Harbour Crane for our activities in
the Port of Hanko,” enthuses Asgeir Klingsheim, Technical Director of NorSea Group. “The crane is
compact and very functional and, thanks to its characteristics and capabilities, will make a
valuable contribution to the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic. We were
convinced not only by the capabilities and reliability of the machine itself but also by Gottwald's
diesel-electric drive philosophy, which enables us to achieve economical and environmentally
friendly operation.”
Gottwald's Sales Manager for northern Europe, Hans-Jürgen Schneider, added his comments on the
sale: “We are grateful to NorSea Group for placing its trust in us, and for using our Mobile
Harbour Crane technology for such a pivotal role in this infrastructure project, which is so
crucial to Europe's future. Thanks to its capabilities, the new G HMK 4406 will be making a key
contribution to the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline and, as a result, securing Europe's
energy supplies long-term.”
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