STAHL CraneSystems GmbH

Maintenance cranes – capacity on call
When maintenance is performed on LNG tanks technology is required which is 100 percent reliable. LNG is neither inflammable nor poisonous in its liquefied state and is thus relatively innocuous. However if it evaporates, it is highly explosive. For this reason the most stringent explosion protection regulations apply in the whole GATE terminal – including the crane technology.
The LNG wire rope hoists from STAHL CraneSystems used here meet these requirements. Off-standard LNG hoists are used for lifting the valuable liquid gas pumps. Each of the three explosion-protected hoists has two separately driven rope drums with 2400 kg lifting capacity each. The dual design ensures safe operation even if, unusually, a rope should break. An additional slewing crane, equipped with explosion-protected wire rope hoist type SH 30 ex, is mounted on each liquid gas tank. These auxiliary cranes with 150 kg lifting capacity are used to transport tools and small components up to the platform of the tank.

Competence in explosion protection
As market leader for explosion-protected crane technology, STAHL CraneSystems offers the world’s widest range of hoists and crane components. The products are certified in compliance with ATEX or the IECEx scheme. Complete documentation is a matter of course. STAHL CraneSystems offers for the LNG field specially developed LNG hoists which are by now in operation in numerous plants all around the world. The market for LNG is booming: liquid gas supplies to Europe have been rising continuously over recent years – in 2010 approximately 16 percent of the gas consumed in Europe arrived by sea.

	Picture 1: The GATE terminal in the Port of Rotterdam comprises three LNG tanks with a total volume of 540,000 m³ liquefied gas.
	Picture 2: A maintenance crane is positioned on each tank to lift the liquefied gas pump our of the tank and set it down outside, adjoining the tank.
	Picture 3: STAHL CraneSystems’ off-standard LNG hoists are certified in compliance with ATEX and thus approved for use in hazardous areas.
	Picture 4: The redundant design ensures safe operation even if one of the hoists should fail.
	Picture 5: The casing protects the hoist from wind and weather.
	Picture 6: Decades of experience in explosion protection and crane building make STAHL CraneSystems a sought-after partner for major international projects.
	Picture 7: These auxiliary cranes with wire rope hoists type SH 30 ex are approved for explosion protection zone 2. A hoist brake with manual release permits the load to be lowered safely even in a power cut.