Floating sheerleg

A floating sheerleg (also: shearleg) is a floating water vessel with a crane built on shear legs. Unlike other types of crane vessel, it is not capable of rotating its crane independently of its hull.

1600 ton maximum lift capacity sheerleg Taklift 7 of Smit Internationale

There is a huge variety in sheerleg capacity. The smaller cranes start around 50 ton in lifting capacity, with the largest being able to lift 10,000 tons. The bigger sheerlegs usually have their own propulsion system and have a large accommodation facility on board, while smaller units are floating pontoons that need to be towed to their workplace by tugboats.

Sheerlegs are commonly used for salvaging ships, assistance in shipbuilding, loading and unloading large cargo into ships, and bridge building. They have grown considerably larger over the last decades due to a marked increase in vessel, cargo, and component size (of ships, offshore oil rigs, and other large fabrications), resulting in heavier lifts both during construction and in salvage operations.

Biggest sheerlegs

Name	Image	Company	Lifting capacity	Country
Hyundai-10000		Hyundai Heavy Industries	10,000 t 11,000 short tons[1]	Korea
Asian Hercules III		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	5,300 t 5,800 short tons[2][3][4]	Singapore
HL 5000		Deep Offshore Technology	5,000 t 5,500 short tons[5]	Iran
海翔 Kaisho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	4,100 t 4,500 short tons[6]	Japan
Gulliver		Scaldis	4,000 t 4,400 short tons[7]	Luxemburg
洋翔 Yousho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	4,000 t 4,400 short tons[6]	Japan
第５０吉田号 Yoshida No.50		Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.	3,700 t 4,100 short tons[8]	Japan
武蔵 Musashi		Fukada Salvage	3,700 t 4,100 short tons[9]	Japan
L-3601		Sembcorp Marine	3,600 t 4,000 short tons[10]	Singapore
Rambiz		Scaldis	3,300 t 3,600 short tons[11]	Belgium
Asian Hercules II		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	3,200 t 3,500 short tons[2][3][12]	Singapore
富士 Fuji		Fukada Salvage	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[9]	Japan
SADAF 3000		Darya Fan Qeshm Industries (SADAF)	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[13]	Iran
第28吉田号 Yoshida No.28		Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[14]	Japan
Taklift 4		Boskalis Marine Contractors	2,200 t 2,400 short tons[lower-alpha 1][3]	Netherlands
駿河 Suruga		Fukada Salvage	2,200 t 2,400 short tons[9]	Japan
金剛 Kongo		Fukada Salvage	2,050 t 2,260 short tons[9]	Japan
Matador 3		Bonn & Mees	1,800 t 2,000 short tons[16]	Netherlands
Left Coast Lifter		Tappan Zee Constructors	1,699 t 1,873 short tons[17]	United States
Asian Hercules		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,600 t 1,800 short tons[2][3][18]	Singapore
PW L-1501		Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd	1,500 t 1,700 short tons[19]	Singapore
Lifter 1		Saipem	1400 ton	Malta
新建隆 Shin-kenryu		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	1,400 t 1,500 short tons[6]	Japan
新柏鵬 Shin-hakuho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co	1,300 t 1,400 short tons[20]	Japan
Taklift 6[lower-alpha 2]		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,200 t 1,300 short tons[3]	Singapore
Taklift 7		Smit Internationale	1,200 t 1,300 short tons[3]	Netherlands
Italia		Fratelli Neri	1,000 t 1,100 short tons[21]	Italy
HEBO Lift 9[lower-alpha 3]			900 t 990 short tons[22]	Denmark
Smit Cyclone		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,000 t 1,100 short tons[23]	Bahamas
Brabo		Port of Antwerp	800 t 880 short tons[24]	Belgium
Taklift 1		Smit Internationale	800 t 880 short tons[23]	Netherlands
PW L-801		Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd	800 t 880 short tons[19]	Singapore
Uglen		J. J. Ugland	800 t 880 short tons[25]	Norway
伊豆 Izu		Fukada Salvage	700 t 770 short tons[9]	Japan
大和 Yamato		Fukada Salvage	700 t 770 short tons[9]	Japan
宏栄号 Koei-go		Fukada Salvage	600 t 660 short tons[9]	Japan
Enak		Port of Hamburg[lower-alpha 4]	600 t 660 short tons[26][27]	Germany
RMG 500		Resolve Salvage & Fire	500 t 550 short tons[28]	Singapore
SBG Himmat		Arihant Ship Breakers	450 t 500 short tons[29]	India
Norma		Scaldis	440 t 490 short tons[30]	Belgium
Asian Helping Hand III		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	400 t 440 short tons[2][31]	Singapore
Consul		Tenwolde Transport en Repair	400 t 440 short tons[32]	Netherlands
GPS Apollo		GPS Marine	400 t 440 short tons[33]	UK / Netherlands
GPS Atlas		GPS Marine	400 t 440 short tons[33]	UK / Netherlands
Matador		Bonn & Mees	400 t 440 short tons[16]	Netherlands
Matador 2		Bonn & Mees	400 t 440 short tons[16]	Netherlands
Smit Typhoon		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	400 t 440 short tons[34]	Bahamas
HEBO-Lift 7		HEBO Maritiemservice B.V.	300 t 330 short tons[35]	Netherlands
Floating Crane No. 303		Fukada Salvage	300 t 330 short tons[36]	Japan
Triton		Wagenborg Towage	300 t 330 short tons[37]	Netherlands / Germany

Notes

1. 1,600 t (1,800 short tons) as delivered in 1981. Capacity upgraded in 2010.[15]^:72
2. Sold to Turkey for scrap in 2017
3. ex-Samson
4. Acquired from Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs GmbH & Co KG

References

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2. "Asian Hercules III 'largest heavy-lift sheerlegs of its kind' named in Singapore". Offshore Energy Today. May 15, 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
3. "Heavy Lift Vessels". Boskalis. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
4. "Asian Hercules III" (PDF). Asian Lift. April 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
5. "Vessels > HL 5000". Deep Offshore Technology. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016.
6. "Fleet of Work Vessels". Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
7. "Gulliver technical specification" (PDF). Scaldis SMC. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
8. "Yoshida-go 50". Yoshida Gumi. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
9. "Register of Ships: Crane Barges". Fukada Salvage & Marine Works Co., Ltd. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
10. "Lifting to Greater Heights" (PDF). Dolphin. Sembcorp Marine. May 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
11. "Rambiz technical specification" (PDF). Scaldis SMC. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
12. "Asian Hercules II" (PDF). Asian Lift. February 2002. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
13. "SADAF 3000". Darya Fan Qeshm Industries Company (SADAF) Co. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
14. "Yoshida-go 28". Yoshida Gumi. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
15. "This is Huisman: Huisman Product Presentation Book 2016" (PDF). Huisman. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
16. "The Fleet". Bonn & Mees. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
17. "Bay Bridge Construction Enters Momentous Stage As Giant Crane Barge Makes Historic Entry" (PDF) (Press release). San Francisco. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
18. "Asian Hercules" (PDF). Asian Lift. February 2002. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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20. "Fleet of Work Vessels". Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
21. "Sheerlegs Italia: 1000 tons lifting capacity" (PDF). Neri Maritime Group. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
22. "HEBO Lift 9" (PDF). Hebo Maritiem Service. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
23. "Floating sheerlegs". Boskalis. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015.
24. "Brabo" (PDF). Port of Antwerp. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
25. "HLV Uglen" (PDF). The J. J. Ugland Companies. April 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
26. "Port of Hamburg welcomes 600 tons crane". Safety 4 Sea. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
27. "Schwimmkran Enak". Lührs Schifffahrt. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
28. "RMG 500" (PDF). Resolve Marine Group Inc. December 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
29. "Equipments". Arihant Ship Breakers. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
30. "Norma Capacity Diagram" (PDF). Scaldis-SMC. 6 December 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2010.
31. "Asian Helping Hand III" (PDF). Asian Lift. February 2002. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
32. "Floating Sheerlegs, TTR Code no.: 50.012" (PDF). Tenwolde. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2016.
33. "Fleet: Sheerlegs (Drijvende Bokken)". GPS Marine. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
34. "Smit and Keppel strengthen sheerlegs joint venture". Cranes Today. 4 May 1999. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
35. "Sheerlegs". HEBO Maritiem Service, B.V. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
36. "Floating Cranes". Fukada Salvage & Marine Works Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012.
37. "300 T Sheerleg" (PDF). Royal Wagenborg. Retrieved 31 December 2019.