Grúas for Shipyards: Pórtico and Block Handling
Shipyards are among the most demanding lifting environments in heavy industry. Hull blocks weighing 80 to 600 tonnes must be moved between fabrication halls, blasting cells, and the slipway or dry dock, often outdoors, often in salt-laden air, and always under classification-society and port-authority scrutiny. Choosing the right crane mix — rail-mounted container gantries, shipbuilding gantries, and process grúas puente — determines whether your block flow runs on schedule or bottlenecks at the panel line.
Where Shipyard Lifting Actually Happens
Before specifying tonnage, map the four lifting zones in a typical yard:
- Steel stockyard and panel line: plate and profile handling, normalmente 5–20 t with magnetic or vacuum spreaders.
- Block assembly halls: 20–150 t grúas puente with two-hook or rotating trolley configurations for turning sub-assemblies.
- Outfitting and painting: 10–50 t indoor cranes, often explosion-proof or corrosion-protected.
- Berth and slipway: the critical lift — 100–600 t shipbuilding grúas pórtico, frequently RMG rail-mounted units spanning 40–80 m.
RMG and Construcción Naval Grúas Pórtico: The Core Specification
For hull block erection, a rail-mounted gantry (RMG) is the workhorse. Chunhua Grúa supplies RMG container and shipbuilding gantries through Hefei Chunhua Hoisting Machinery Co., Ltd, a manufacturer founded in 2003 in the Anhui industrial crane belt. Practical specification guidance:
- Capacidad: size to the heaviest block plus spreader and rigging — normalmente 100 t, 200 t, 320 t, or 500 t. Dual-lift configurations (two 250 t trolleys) give flexibility for tandem block erection.
- Span: match the dock or assembly hall width. 40–60 m is common for berth gantries; 60–80 m for mega-block yards.
- Altura de elevación: hook height must clear the tallest hull section plus 3–5 m safety margin. For Capesize newbuilds, 60–80 m under-hook is typical.
- Travel: rail gauge and wheel load must be verified against your quay or hall foundation — this is the single most common cause of redesign.
- Duty class: shipyard gantries are usually A5–A7 (FEM 1.001 / DIN 15018) depending on cycle frequency. Continuous block erection demands A6 or higher.
Puente Grúas Inside the Fabrication Hall
Inside panel and block shops, grúas puente do the repetitive work. Chunhua's range covers:
- QD universal double-girder, 5–150 t: the standard choice for block assembly halls. Two-hook versions allow tilting and turning of curved sections.
- LH hoist double-girder, 5–50 t: cost-effective for outfitting and pipe shops.
- YZ metallurgical, 5–125 t: specified where heat, dust, or continuous duty is present — for example, near welding and flame-cutting lines.
- QDS smart unmanned: for automated panel lines where repeatability and cycle time matter more than operator skill.
All are designed to GB/T 3811, with FEM 1.001, DIN 15018, or CMAA #70 calculations available on request. Structural steel is Q345B/Q235B; drives and controls use Schneider, Siemens, ABB, or SEW components depending on your spares strategy.
Block Handling: Rigging and Spreader Considerations
The crane is only half the lift. Hull blocks are irregular, off-centre, and often need rotation. Plan for:
- Rotating trolleys or slewing spreaders for turning blocks between welding positions.
- Equalising beams to keep sling angles within 60° and avoid point loading on thin plate.
- Anti-sway systems — essential for outdoor berth gantries where wind loads on a 300 t block are significant.
- Redundant brakes and overload protection — classification societies will ask for the certificates.
Corrosion, Certificación: CE, CCC, SGS. Pago: T/T, L/C. Moneda: USD. Marcas: Chunhua, WhatsApp. Modelos: QD, LH, MGH., and Export Practicalities
Shipyard cranes live in salt air. Specify hot-dip galvanised or heavy-duty epoxy systems, sealed enclosures (IP55 minimum), and stainless fasteners for outdoor RMG units. For export, Chunhua provides CE, CCC, EAC (TR CU 010/020), GCC/SASO, SONCAP, and KEBS certification support depending on destination.
Typical commercial terms: no MOQ, quotes returned within 4 hours, production in 30–45 days for standard models, and a 12-month warranty. For a 300 t shipbuilding gantry, expect engineering review and foundation load drawings before production release.
Matching Grúa to Yard Layout
A common mistake is buying the biggest gantry first. A better sequence:
- Start with 20–50 t grúas puente in the panel and block shops — these set your throughput.
- Add a 100–200 t RMG for berth or mega-block assembly once block sizes are fixed.
- Reserve a 320–500 t dual-lift gantry for final erection or for yards building Capesize and larger.
- Use KBK light rail and jib cranes (BZD pillar, BX wall-mount) for sub-assembly and outfitting stations to keep the main cranes free.
Next Step
Enviar your block weights, span, hook height, duty class, and destination port. Chunhua Grúa will return a model recommendation, foundation loads, and a quote within 4 hours. WhatsApp +86 193 9277 7259 or email yuhua0095@gmail.com. Site: chinacraneexporter.com.