Several navies around the world currently operate this kind of ship, which are generally used to transport troops into a war zone by sea, primarily using landing craft, although they also have the capability to operate with transport helicopters.
Houlder says the capability to safely lift, manoeuvre and quickly load equipment throughout the internal vehicle decks of HMS?Bulwark (above) and HMS?Albion is essential for their operational success.
Houlder and Street CraneXpress will supply electric travelling monorail hoists with twin ratings of 6t SWL for general loads and 4.5t SWL for handling ordnance at sea.
The hoisting systems will be compliant with Joint Service Publication (JSP) 467 for Power Driven Lifting Appliances used for Handling Conventional and Nuclear Armaments. Houlder says JSP 467 is regarded as one of the most stringent standards employed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
“The project includes a significant amount of integration engineering; the hoists and their control systems will need to operate effectively with existing vessel infrastructure systems and control systems,” says Mike Carter, marketing manager at Houlder. “The hoist’s design also needs to minimise impact on the vessels’ structure to enable efficient and timely installation.
“Compliance with the MoD’s JSP 467 standard for Power Driven Lifting Appliances Used for Handling Conventional and Nuclear Armaments means considerable attention needs to be given to risk management and safety. As part of the tendering process, Houlder demonstrated the hoists will comply with over a hundred specific safety clauses.”
The contract also includes availability, reliability and maintainability provision to ensure maximum ongoing operational success of the lifting systems, adds Carter.
Houlder has experience in working to meet the MoD’s strict standards. In the defence sector, it is renowned for its design, installation and commissioning of boat handling davits on the Type 23 and Type 22 frigate fleets, as well as embarkation winches on Royal Navy submarines. It has also recently refurbished and installed a crane onboard HMS Scott, an ocean survey vessel in the Royal Navy’s fleet.
During a period of major repair to the Royal Navy’s Antarctic patrol ship HMS Endurance, HMS Scott was prepared to temporarily take over her operational tasks.
One of the necessary upgrades was to add a second rescue boat capability to satisfy the mandatory requirements of the International Convention of Safety of Life at Sea.
Recognised by the MoD as an urgent operational requirement with very limited time available, it was decided that the most effective solution was to remove and refurbish an existing crane from the decommissioned HMS Dumbarton Castle for installation onboard HMS Scott.
The 3.5t SWL RHIB crane supplied by Houlder is one of a number of similar cranes also fitted onboard HMS Endurance and HMS Roebuck, which are designed for service in very low temperature environments.
Houlder analysed HMS Scott’s deck structure to support the new crane and obtained Lloyds Register plan approval for additional strengthening measures for the crane pedestal and newly designed hydraulic power unit.
Houlder’s defence team provided design, project management and works supervision for this job; from creating the initial scope of work and specification, through fabrication and factory acceptance testing, setting to work, load testing and sea trials of the crane. The crane was refurbished by PJ Engineering Products Ltd, and the new self-contained diesel driven electro-hydraulic power unit manufactured by Hagglunds Ltd.
Successful completion of the project delivered a fully operational crane five weeks ahead of schedule. This enabled the ship’s crew to have valuable training time during HMS Scott’s pre-deployment operational sea training.
Houlder and Street CraneXpress have already installed gantry cranes on HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion, which were the first cranes to comply with the JSP 467 protocol, Houlder says.
“Houlder is delighted to have the chance once again to utilise its knowledge and experience of ammunition-rated lifting equipment,” says Rod Pudduck, Houlder’s defence director.
“Our team is confident in its ability to deliver hoists that integrate with existing ship systems and completely satisfy reliability and safety requirements.”
Houlder is also operational in the marine, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors, and is working on several ‘innovative renewable energy lifting systems’ that are designed to transfer personnel and equipment to and from wind turbine structures.
The company will present these developments at the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) Marine &?Offshore Renewable Energy conference, to be held 21-23 April, at RINA’s headquarters in London.
