Ampelmann Commissions World’s First Fully Motion Compensating Crane

Last week, the Cargo Transfer System (CTS), the latest innovation of the Ampelmann fleet, has been successfully tested. Besides the traditional Ampelmann gangway which provides safe people transfer, the CTS is equipped with a crane that allows safe cargo transfer from a moving vessel to any fixed or floating structure at sea.

The CTS is based on the same technology as the Ampelmann A-type and E-type system, a proven concept of a self-stabilizing hexapod with 6 hydraulic cylinders that compensates the real time motions of a vessel. With this specific hexapod configuration, Ampelmann has a track record of more than 750.000 safe people transfers at sea.

The hexapod of the CTS has a cylinder stroke of 3 meters. Therefore this unit is capable of compensating actual heave motions up to 2.5 meters. The CTS is assembled on this compensating platform: a crane with a boom of 32 meters and the capacity of lifting 8,5 tons. After transferring offshore personnel, the foldable jib changes the ‘standard gangway’ into a crane with a hoisting function. During the trials last week at the North Sea, both people and cargo are safely transferred from a moving vessel to a production platform and vice versa.

With the CTS, Ampelmann strives to serve (un)manned platforms and wind turbines by transferring people and cargo on a safe and cost efficient manner compared to Jack ups, Helicopters, vessel’s crane and semi – subs. In addition, operators can do without using expensive cranes and helidecks, which need to be installed on these platforms. The CTS proves to be a perfect solution to the challenges of transferring cargo at sea.