Hagglunds Cranes Ordered For Rapid Deployment Force MSC Vessels

A major commitment to hydraulic deck cranes is among the interesting features of the current program to reinforce the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) of the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command.

All 21 of the RO/RO-LO/LO vessels in the program will be fitted with hydraulic cranes, a total of 99 units, all of Hagglunds manufacture.

The program comprises 13 Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) and eight Fast Logistic Ships (TAKRX), the latter being the 33- knot containerships purchased by the Navy from Sea-Land and now being converted at Avondale Shipyards, National Steel and Shipbuilding, and PennShip. Each of the T-AKRX ships will have one twin 35-ton crane mounting and one twin 50-ton mounting.

Of the MPS ships, three are being converted for Waterman Steamship Corporation by National Steel; five for Maersk Line by Bethelhem Steel's Sparrows Point and Beaumont yards; and five are newbuildings for General Dynamics at its own Quincy shipyard.

The Waterman ships will each have one twin 50-ton crane and one twin 35-ton; the Maersk installations will be one twin 36- ton and two twin 30-ton cranes per ship; and the new General Dynamics ships will each have two twin 39-ton and one single 39-ton cranes per ship.

The Hagglunds cranes feature high-torque, low-speed hydraulic drives of the maker's unique design, with combination facilities enabling the smooth handling of loads up to 100 tons under a single, coordinated control. The requirement to be able to work cargo safely under open-sea conditions was a special feature of these contracts.

Hagglunds' concept of totally enclosed crane machinery permits easy maintenance and service, and insures that the cranes' performance will match the user's requirements in all environments.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 20, May 1984

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.