MacGregor Builds First Offshore Fiber Rope Crane

MacGregor has completed the construction of the first fiber rope offshore crane on the market. The company says that its new FibreTrac crane is able to use its full lifting capacity because fiber rope weighs virtually nothing in water, so no additional load is experienced by the crane, no matter the length of the line paid out. Steel wire rope cranes have to support the extra weight of every foot of cable. 

"In practical terms, this means that a smaller crane and vessel can be used for more assignments, and owners are able to bid on a wider range of contracts," said Høye Høyesen, VP of advanced offshore solutions for MacGregor. "The ability to use smaller vessels for deep-water projects will also drive down the cost of these operations and give our customers a stronger competitive edge."

The FibreTrac crane has a 150-tonne capacity and incorporates an advanced rope monitoring and management system. MacGregor says that it is a combination of existing, proven technologies, and will give offshore operators a new edge.  

"The project to build, certify and validate the MacGregor FibreTrac crane is the result of our confidence in its potential," says Høyesen. "We strongly believe in the advantages that it will deliver to our customers."