Heavy-lift shipping
heavy-lift vessels, floating cranes, tandem lifts
Shipping super-heavy cargo is above all about the lift: a unit weighing hundreds of tonnes must be taken off the quay, placed on the vessel and discharged onto transport. We find a heavy-lift vessel with its own cranes or bring in a floating crane and heavy shore cranes, prepare the lift plan and manage the operation until the cargo sits on the axles.
Heavy-lift vessels work their own cranes in tandem, so they lift more than any single crane on board. During the lift the vessel counters the heel with ballast, so the operation is planned with the master and for a specific weather window.
Specification
Specification · Heavy-lift. Standard terms · lift scheme and equipment are confirmed per unit
Service
- Cargo
- units from tens to hundreds of tonnes
- Equipment
- heavy-lift vessel, floating crane, shore crane
- Options
- survey, insurance, on-carriage on axles
Terms
- Preparation
- typically 2–6 weeks before the lift
- Documents
- lift plan and rigging certificates included
- Currency
- USD / RUB
Logistics
- Before
- data, crane selection, lift plan
- Lift
- loading, sea fastening, survey
- After
- discharge onto axles, low-bed or barge
Price
- Base
- freight or crane hire + engineering
- Extras
- weather downtime, extra rigging — at cost
Service flow
- 01
Input data
We obtain the manufacturer's drawing with weight, dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting points and check that the lugs are rated for the lift. We choose the scheme: ship's cranes, floating crane or shore crane.
2–5 days - 02
Vessel and cranes
We find a heavy-lift vessel whose own cranes in tandem take the unit weight with a margin, or a floating crane in port. We check radius, load moment and allowable quay loading.
1–3 weeks - 03
Lift plan
We develop the lift plan: rigging scheme, certified spreaders and slings, load split between cranes, operation sequence, wind and sea-state limits. It is approved by the master and the lift supervisor.
1–2 weeks - 04
Lift and sea fastening
The unit is lifted within the weather window while the vessel compensates heel with ballast. It is set on cradles and secured to the deck, usually with welded stoppers (sea fastening). The surveyor records every step.
1–2 days - 05
Discharge onto transport
At the destination port the unit is lifted off the vessel directly onto hydraulic axles, a low-bed or a barge — without intermediate storage where the schedule and quay allow.
1–3 days
Problems
The manufacturer has not supplied a drawing with the centre of gravity, and the lugs are not rated for lifting the assembled unit — the master refuses the lift.
We request the drawing and lug calculation while the unit is still in production; if unavailable, we design a scheme with a spreader and basket slings.
The quay cannot take the load of the crane or the loaded trailer.
We obtain the allowable quay load in advance, spread the pressure with mats or work with a floating crane from the water side.
Wind closes the lift window, and idle time of the vessel and floating crane is chargeable.
We build weather limits and back-up dates into the plan and fix idle-time terms in the contracts before work starts.
Documents
Documents for lifting and shipping a super-heavy unit. Without a drawing showing the centre of gravity and certificates for the rigging, neither the master nor the lift supervisor will approve the operation.
Incoterms
- FOB
- loading on board is on the seller; agree in advance whose crane is used and who pays for the lift
- CIF
- freight and insurance to the destination port are on the seller
- DAP
- unloading at destination is on the buyer and must be planned separately
Documents
- Unit drawing
- dimensions, weight, centre of gravity, lifting points
- Rigging certificates
- for spreaders, slings, shackles and lifting lugs
- Lift Plan
- lift scheme approved by the master or works manager
- B/L / charter
- heavy-lift B/L or charter party
- Invoice & Packing List
- for customs and insurance
FAQ
The limit is set by the cranes and deck strength: heavy-lift vessels lift hundreds of tonnes in tandem, the largest over a thousand. We handle units from tens to hundreds of tonnes and match the crane by radius and load moment to the actual weight. If ship's cranes are not enough, a floating crane is brought in.
A lift plan is the engineered lifting scheme: rigging points, centre of gravity, certified spreaders and slings, radius and utilisation of each crane, quay or ground check and the sequence of the operation. It also sets wind and sea-state limits. It is approved by the master or the lift supervisor.
A tandem lift is lifting one unit with two cranes at once. The load split is calculated, and each crane is kept below its rated capacity with a margin because uneven loading can occur when cranes work together. The scheme and signals are set in the lift plan in advance.
Yes, this is a standard ship-to-transport operation: the crane takes the unit off the vessel and places it on hydraulic axles, a low-bed or a barge without intermediate storage. This saves a second lift and storage. The transport and road permits must be ready when the vessel arrives.
The lift supervisor decides, and on board the master, against the criteria set in the lift plan. The wind limit depends on the crane and the wind area of the cargo. If the forecast exceeds the limits, the lift moves to a back-up window.
Yes, if the loaded vehicle exceeds the permitted dimensions or axle loads on public roads. The permit is obtained in advance, before the vessel arrives — otherwise the cargo waits in port. We handle it under our special-permit service.