Dragados Offshore to use cranes for 2 GW substations
Spanish engineering, procurement and construction contractor for oil and gas Dragados Offshore has purchased 10 ‘RL 2600’ cranes from Liebherr which will be supplied over the next five years and have a lifting capacity of 35 tonnes and an outreach of 45 metres.
These cranes are to be deployed in Puerto Real, Spain, for manufacturing platforms Dragados Offshore will create and deliver to the North Sea. Liebherr’s RL 2600 cranes are operable in extreme weather conditions without sacrificing reliability.
Dragados Offshore has chosen the RL 2600 for its compactness and sleek design. Due to the limited space of the operation area, the reduced tail radius of the RL 2600 made it a good choice. The maximum outreach of 45 metres made it practical for maintenance and supply work. There is no machinery house on board, allowing further compactness.
The cranes are of benefit to Dragados’s new generation of 2 GW platforms which function as an electrical substation. These substations collect energy from wind turbines, convert it and deliver it to land.
Matti Basan, senior sales manager at Liebherr said: “The new deal validates Liebherr’s expertise in the offshore wind sector and is a significant opportunity to strengthen the existing relationships that both companies have in the offshore industry.”
Intelligent maintenance systems were also part of this deal, with Liebherr Intelligent Maintenance (LiMain) which supplies maintenance for Liebherr maritime cranes. The service provides remote maintenance from shore, making it easier for the crew to operate. The remote service can operate regardless of time or location.
Marco Gonzalez, sales manager for maritime cranes at Liebherr said: “We’re proud to close this significant contract with Dragados Offshore. Liebherr is actively collaborating with Dragados Offshore, and Liebherr Ibérica will play a key role in assembling the equipment and providing technical support.”
This contract is not the first collaboration between the two companies, as Liebherr has been supplying Dragados Offshore with crawler cranes for assembly for more than a decade. These cranes have been used by Dragados Offshore to build structures and platforms at its facility in Puerto Real, Spain.
