Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-07-07 Origin: Site
On May 15, 2026, construction of the Zhejiang (East China) Deep Offshore Wind Power Mother Port was in full swing at the Zhuangyu'ao Port Area, where the 3,800-ton gantry crane entered an intensive assembly phase.
At the construction site of Phase I of the Core Zone of Zhejiang (East China) Deep Offshore Wind Power Mother Port, cranes moved up and down amid the roar of machinery. Giant components were assembled in an orderly manner under operators’ control, creating a bustling construction scene. The equipment under installation was a 3,800t-107m double-girder gantry crane setting three world records among similar gantry cranes globally: the maximum lifting capacity, the tallest overall height and the maximum lifting height. It features a rated lifting capacity of 3,800 tons, a span of 107 meters, an overall height of 166.5 meters and a maximum lifting height of 130 meters.
The greatest difficulties encountered during installation were the synchronous integral lifting of the portal frame and high-precision high-altitude alignment. Considering the structural characteristics and transportation requirements of oversized equipment, the construction team arranged multi-specification axle groups for hoisting, unloading and transshipment. In addition, the team studied tidal variations to scientifically formulate rolling and unloading procedures. By applying four core technologies — hydraulic synchronous lifting, 3D laser measurement and control, cable wind anti-wind system and precise foundation track adjustment — the project achieved safe and efficient installation, and relevant technical outcomes have filled the global gap in the installation technology for ultra-large tonnage gantry cranes.
“The installation features heavy load tonnage, ultra-high precision requirements, restricted site conditions and relatively high construction risks,” Zhu Meibing, foreman of the construction team, commented on the construction challenges. “We finished all preparatory work in advance, including safety briefings, site clearance, mechanical maintenance, layout lofting and fixed staffing. During installation, warning zones were marked with dedicated supervisors stationed on site. Unified command, precise alignment and sequential inspection were implemented to rigorously control safety and machining accuracy, so as to fully guarantee the safe and smooth completion of equipment installation.”
Structures like floating foundations and jackets for deep offshore wind power equipment can weigh over 3,000 tons. The construction involves highly complex operations such as overhead segmented turnover and multi-section precise jointing. Pre-assembly on land is also essential to minimize offshore construction risks, which places higher demands on lifting capacity, positioning accuracy and operational flexibility of hoisting machinery. This 3,800-ton gantry crane was tailor-made to tackle prevalent industry bottlenecks and satisfy the assembly requirements of deep offshore wind power facilities.
“This 3,800-ton gantry crane is equipped with an upper-and-lower double trolley system, each trolley with a lifting capacity of up to 1,900 tons. It supports various combined lifting operations, including single-hook hoisting, two-hook tandem lifting and three-hook coordinated lifting,” said Hua Yiqi, project manager of the gantry crane project from the Engineering Department of Zhejiang Wenzhou Zhehai Wind Mother Port Equipment Development Co., Ltd. Such a design is highly adaptable to complex construction work such as jointing and hoisting of large steel structures, providing powerful support for the assembly of deep offshore wind power equipment.
As of May 14, approximately 80% of the concrete pouring for the gantry crane’s bearing platform had been completed. Pre-closing of the rigid legs was fully finished, main girder jointing reached around 95% completion, and related welding work hit roughly 90%. The overall installation of the gantry crane was progressing at full tilt.
Moving forward, the construction team will adhere closely to the established construction schedule, prioritizing component jointing and assembly, integral lifting of main girders, integrated equipment installation, commissioning and load testing. Parallel progress will be made on preliminary formalities including special equipment acceptance inspection and certification. Every measure will be taken to ensure the scheduled installation and commissioning of the 3,800-ton gantry crane, laying a solid groundwork for the Deep Offshore Wind Power Mother Port to deliver large-scale, standardized operational capabilities at an early stage.
