MacGregor to supply ‘viewing crane’ to cruise newbuild
With cruise ships getting more and more like floating small towns – but without the opportunities to escape to the country side – it seem that the experience of being at sea is no longer enough. Cinemas, theatres, casinos, spas, pools, gyms and shopping arcades are no longer enough, it seems. We’ve had things like climbing walls – now we have a pod on the end of a crane jib.
Cargotec has told us that Royal Caribbean International has ordered a customised MacGregor crane and ‘viewing gondola’ for its first Quantum Class cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, currently under construction at Meyer Werft in Germany The crane will lift guests (passengers are obsolete in today’s cruise market) above the ship to give panoramic views of the sea and surrounding ports of call.
In typical cruise industry superlatives, the crane, dubbed ‘North Star’ is described by Cargotec as “an engineering marvel that takes guests to new heights with a jewel-shaped, glass capsule, transporting them on a spectacular journey more than 91m above the ocean and over the sides of the ship to deliver awe-inspiring 360-degree views.”
The explanation continues: “The crane’s slewing function will also allow the viewing gondola to be swung out over the sea for a unique guest experience.”
The electro/hydraulically-driven crane will have an outreach of 41m, and the 7.1-tonne viewing gondola will be able to accommodate 14 ‘guests’ and one crew member, which seems to us a little mean as the ship’s total passenger capacity is to be 4,180. The gondola will be fitted with a stabilising system to ensure that it remains level with respect to the vessel’s deck and to damp gondola movements.
The system is designed for 100% redundancy with two separate power units, plus a diesel-driven emergency power pack. Additional safety features include automatic cut outs and safety valve overload protection on all crane motions. The crane is designed to TÜV süd standards. The system will be controlled using a separate PLC safety system in addition to a MacGregor CC3000 crane control system.
“We are the first crane supplier involved in anything like this type for a cruise ship,” said Jonas Hägglund, MacGregor sales manager. “Safety is paramount, and the operator needed a crane supplier that would not only deliver the highest safety standards, but also proven, reliable technology for the North Star guest experience. The CC3000 provides excellent load control and can easily be adjusted with a laptop computer for different parameters, such as speed ramp times.”
Mr Hägglund continued: “It is… important that the experience is as quiet as possible, so the main power pack will be rubber-suspended to minimise vibrations and noise transmission; the crane housing will also be isolated to minimise noise. Given the vessel’s cruising areas, the system is fitted with an air-type cooler to keep the crane’s hydraulic oil at a moderate temperature even in very hot ambient conditions; this ensures a long oil life and reliable crane performance.”
