DN02 Ship Unloader

Porto de Vila do Conde | Brazil

Resolve Marine was mobilized to Porto de Vila do Conde, Brazil to stabilize and safely dismantle the hydro ship unloading crane DN-02 after a catastrophic failure of the primary boom while unloading the bulk carrier TUCUNARE. The dynamic balance between the DN-02, resting partially on a fixed dock and partially on a floating vessel, and tides of three meters created challenging circumstances to stabilize the structure before it became unstable.

To stabilize the situation, heavy lift crane ships were brought alongside both the loading pier and the TUCUNARE. A custom support cradle designed by Resolve Marine's engineering group, allowed the heavy lift ship, HAPPY SKY to support the counterweight (370 ton and 35 meters above the quay) of the DN-02–despite headroom issues caused by the tide cycle. With the counterweight supported, the DN-02 was stabilized, allowing for delicate dismantling work to be completed on the elevator and boom assembly. The elevator assembly was separated from the boom using a diamond wire, requiring the counterweight to be precisely balanced by the HAPPY SKY. Once the elevator and boom assembly were dismantled, Resolve Marine worked to secure and stabilize the position of the DN-02. The HAPPY SKY held the load of the DN-02 counterweight for 25 days, requiring constant adjustment to correspond with the tides.