Grade One Marine Shipyard Upgrades with Marine Travelift
by Press Release
When Grade One Marine Shipyard (GOMS) of Lumut, Malaysia needed a mobile boat hoist to take its business to the next level, it looked no further than a Marine Travelift 700C to serve this purpose.
Located on the Sitiawan River, the objective of GOMS was to acquire a 700C Marine Travelift to expand its existing business of ship refurbishment, refitting and repair services for a range of marine vessels; this objective has clearly been achieved. When the 700C is operational in March, the shipyard will increase its capability to service vessels up to 700 tons and will no doubt enhance the future of Malaysia’s maritime industry.
Of course, the sheer size of the 700C machine meant manufacturing processes didn’t happen overnight! Fabrication, assembly and testing took place over an 18 month period; then finally in December 2007, a delegation from GOMS gathered in awe to watch its machine roll off the production line; not even the winter weather in Wisconsin could dampen their excitement as the 700C stood before them, dominating everything surrounding it.
During the production months, GOMS was busy, also. Launching piers were installed on the waterfront, while a purpose-built hangar was erected within the confines of the shipyard, which will be particularly useful for receiving the 24 containers in which the machine will be shipped!
Jerry Wierzba, Vice President of Engineering at Marine Travelift, comments: “The final product was a culmination of the hard work and dedication by Marine Travelift designers, engineers and assembly workers, who brought it all together. Having previously manufactured an 800 metric ton model, which has been operational in Singapore since 2001, the 700C is the second largest machine to be built by Marine Travelift. During that time, we have made significant advances in design, operational maneuverability and performance, particularly in the larger boat hoist range of 300 tons and greater; the only thing that hasn’t changed is the outstanding quality built into every one of our machines.”
It should come as no surprise, therefore, to learn that Engineering has again pulled it off by designing the 700C as the first, electronically controlled, sixteen all-wheel steer machine to be built at the Sturgeon Bay facility in Wisconsin. This new technology delivers a highly maneuverable machine with or without the maximum payload; producing a unit that can carousel 180° in an area no larger than the boat it is lifting. Another advantage is the 55° crab steering mode, which allows the machine to be steered at a side-ways angle. Both carousel and crab steering are particularly advantageous when space is at a premium.
As vessel sizes increase, there is further pressure for shipyards and shipyard management to adjust and adapt to this sea change. Undoubtedly, Marine Travelift has the capacity and expertise to be at the forefront when it comes to solving the dilemmas of shipyard management logistics across the globe.