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Meet the Taisun, the Impressive Fixed Crane of the Taisun Shipyard in China, Capable of Lifting 20,133 Tons at Once, Revolutionizing Offshore Structure Assembly.
The Taisun crane is a landmark in heavy lifting technology, designed to handle loads of exceptional magnitude in the shipbuilding and offshore industry. Located at the Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard in China and named after Mount Tai, it symbolizes strength and engineering prowess.
Built specifically to install large modules on semisubmersibles and FPSOs, the fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard holds a world record. This article details its specifications, achievements, and the impact of this engineering marvel.
Unveiling the Taisun
The fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard is operationally based at the Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard in Yantai, Shandong province, China. This shipyard specializes in the manufacture of maritime and offshore structures, possessing one of the largest dry docks in the world (430m x 120m x 14m), essential for Taisun’s operations.
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Designed by DHHI (Dalian Huarui Heavy Industry), a Chinese company, the Taisun highlights the country’s indigenous engineering capability. Its primary function is to lift and join massive modules to the hulls of vessels, a task that demands the colossal infrastructure of the shipyard.
Specifications and the World Record of the Fixed Crane of the Taisun Shipyard
The specifications of the fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard are impressive. Its nominal safe working load (SWL) is 20,000 metric tons, with a total height of 133 meters and a span of 120 meters between its legs. The maximum operational lifting height is 80 meters, using a steel cable system nearly 50,000 meters long.
The most famous feat of the Taisun occurred on April 18, 2008, when it established a Guinness World Record. It lifted a water-ballasted barge weighing 20,133 metric tons, demonstrating its maximum capacity and solidifying its global reputation. This operation served as a crucial step in commissioning the crane.
How the Fixed Crane of the Taisun Shipyard Transforms Platform Construction
The fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard has fundamentally changed the construction of offshore platforms such as semisubmersibles and FPSOs. It allows for the installation of entire and already equipped deck modules, weighing up to 20,000 tons, onto the hull in a single operation. This contrasts with the traditional method of assembling smaller modules (1,000-2,000 tons) at height.
This “mega-module” capability shifts most of the assembly work to ground level, improving safety and efficiency. The Yantai Raffles Shipyard saves up to two million man-hours per project and delivers semisubmersibles two months faster. The Taisun enables the simultaneous construction of hull and superstructures, using 400 direct contact points to distribute the load, minimizing the need for structural reinforcements on the modules.
Comparing the Fixed Crane of the Taisun Shipyard with Other Lifting Titans
The claim that the Taisun is the “most powerful crane in the world” was true from 2008 to 2014. That year, the Honghai Gantry Crane, also Chinese, surpassed its record with a capacity of 22,000 tons. The Honghai has a height of 148m, a span of 124m, and a lifting height of 71.38m.
Compared to other types, the fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard stands out in its category. Floating cranes such as the SSCV Sleipnir (20,000t combined at sea) or land-based ring cranes like the Sarens SGC-250 (“Big Carl,” 5,000t) serve different purposes. Taisun’s fixed nature and extreme capacity are adapted for module integration at shipyards.
The Legacy of Taisun
The fixed crane of the Taisun Shipyard marked an era in shipbuilding and offshore construction by enabling the installation of massive modules in a single lift. This resulted in significant improvements in timelines, labor savings, costs, safety, and quality. Taisun’s success, demonstrated in projects such as the COSL Pioneer (14,000t) and the Saipem Scarabeo 9 (17,100t), validated the mega-module construction approach.
Although its lifting record has been surpassed, the impact of Taisun as a pioneer in shipbuilding methodology remains. It set a new standard and propelled innovation in mega-scale lifting engineering, allowing more ambitious projects to be conceived and executed.
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