Joined forces for 3D motion-compensated cranes

The collaboration has resulted in the contract for a TTS ColibriTM motion-compensated crane for a newly built offshore wind SOV project for Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. Delivery is planned for the second quarter of 2018. The new product combines TTS’s competences in crane design and manufacturing with Ulstein’s expertise in innovative motion technology and analysis.
“Two aspects make the TTS ColibriTM unique compared with other solutions in the market,” said Gilbert Rezette, managing director of Ulstein Equipment, a Dutch subsidiary of Ulstein Group. “First of all, our inhouse developed ColibriTM system is a stand-alone add-on device to a standard offshore crane. It adds functionality, while the crane maintains its functionality as a full-fledged offshore crane including deepwater subsea capabilities. But what makes this system truly unique is its ground-breaking anti-sway technology, which also allows to mitigate wind induced motions which act directly on the load.”
The TTS ColibriTM crane will come in a range of three different sizes: 1 tonne, 3 tonnes and 7 tonnes. The first contract is for a 1-tonne version, where the crane itself still has its capability to lift 3 tonnes with a 10-tonne retrofit option. “Joining forces has enabled both our companies to offer a serious and commercially very attractive alternative in this market segment,” said Carl Herland, sales manager at TTS Offshore Solutions, a subsidiary of TTS Group. “Moreover, the ColibriTM technology is also suitable for retrofitting existing cranes, making it a viable solution for upgrading cranes already in service. Hence, it offers shipowners the possibility to create more flexibility for their existing fleet.”