Liebherr cranes to feature on unmanned platforms in North Sea

Liebherr RL 2600 cranes will be operating remotely on offshore platforms (Photo: Liebherr)

Seatrium has purchased six Liebherr RL 2600 ram luffing cranes for support of remote maintenance at unmanned platforms in the TenneT 2 GW offshore wind transmission system in the Netherlands.

Two cranes will be allocated to each of the IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek Beta platforms. The platforms are located in the North Sea off the Netherlands coast.

“Partnering with a globally respected engineering and offshore solutions provider such as Seatrium underscores the trust placed in the quality and reliability of our Liebherr RL 2600 cranes,” said Oliver Odebrecht, sales manager, General Purpose Offshore Cranes at Liebherr in Rostock, Germany.

He continued: “As offshore wind grows in significance worldwide, we are delighted that our solutions play a meaningful role in advancing a resilient and future-ready energy infrastructure.”

The RL 2600 was developed to meet the harsh conditions regularly encountered on offshore platforms. The compact cranes also have a small tail radius and low overall height to help with ease of manoeuvring.

Despite its smaller size, the RL 2600 has a reach of 45 metres and can lift up to 25 tonnes. It is features such as these which will help carry out logistics tasks related to platform operation.

For the TenneT project the cranes will be fitted with the LiMain digital system. This is the first time Liebherr cranes have used this technology. The system allows service tasks to be carried out by technicians located onshore, reducing site visits and lowering both cost and environmental impact.

The modular setup of the LiMain system allows operators to choose the level of monitoring and maintenance to fit the given application. This flexibility ensures reliable crane operation, even out in the North Sea.

Niek Brabers, sales manager at Liebherr Netherlands, said: ‘When the cranes enter service, maintenance and support will be coordinated by Liebherr Netherlands. Customers benefit from short response times and direct access to experienced technical specialists.”