Dutch Mammoet Launches World's Strongest Land Crane SK6000, Capable of Lifting 3,000 Tons to 220 Meters

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Dutch company Mammoet has announced the launch of the SK6000, a crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 6,000 tons, capable of hoisting components weighing up to 3,000 tons to a height of 220 meters. This is currently the world's strongest land crane, designed specifically for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.

The creation of the SK6000 is a direct response to changes in the heavy industry sector. Mammoet states that the continuous increase in weight and height of offshore wind turbines, industrial modules, floating foundations, and nuclear components has made some planned projects dependent on a new generation of lifting equipment for implementation. The rapid advancement of offshore wind power is the direct driver behind the SK6000. The trend towards larger towers, monopiles, jackets, and floating foundations has created construction bottlenecks, and this crane was developed to overcome them. Additionally, the SK6000 is also suitable for the oil, gas, and nuclear sectors. In offshore and petrochemical projects, its advantage lies in reducing the integration time for mega-modules; in the nuclear field, it allows for the assembly of larger components in a controlled environment and their integral lifting, thereby shortening on-site construction cycles.

In terms of technical specifications, besides its maximum lifting capacity of 6,000 tons, the SK6000's fixed jib configuration can lift 3,000 tons to a height of 220 meters. Mammoet's technical data shows the main boom reaches 171 meters, and with the fixed jib attachment, the maximum lifting height can reach 274 meters. For stability, the SK6000 uses 4,200 tons of ballast, exerting a maximum ground pressure of 30 tons per square meter. Its centralized ballast design is a key feature, eliminating the need for a full ring track installation and freeing up to 45% of the jobsite space for other operations.

The advantage of this equipment lies in supporting larger modular construction. Clients can build larger modules off-site, transport them to the location, and lift them in a single piece, reducing on-site connection and integration steps. Mammoet points out that this shortens logistics, integration, and mobilization phases, reduces time to production, and improves safety by transferring some assembly work to a more controlled environment.

Before its official deployment, the SK6000 passed a testing program supervised by Lloyd's Register. This process certified the safe operation of the equipment and verified load charts for different configurations. Tests showed that all components could withstand 125% overload, covering main boom configurations from the shortest 127 meters to the longest 171 meters. In the most extreme case, the test reached a load moment of 520,000 ton-meters, which the company states is significantly higher than the rated moment of the previous generation SK350 model.

Electrification is another core aspect of the SK6000 project. The crane has completed fully electric operation tests and can operate with zero on-site emissions using power from the grid, batteries, or hydrogen generators. During testing, Mammoet used two 600 kWh battery boxes in series to provide 1,200 kWh of power. This solution has minimal impact on routine operations while also reducing operational noise. The battery packs required for operation are available in standard 20-foot container formats, enhancing the equipment's transport and operational flexibility.

Despite its massive size, the SK6000 is designed for international mobilization. The crane utilizes containerized technology, can be transported via sea containers, and is designed for rapid on-site assembly. After testing, the equipment will be disassembled, packed, and shipped to its first project. An official statement from Mammoet indicates that the development phase is complete, and the machine has transitioned from an engineering commitment stage to an asset stage ready for commercial deployment.