Crane - a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects by suspending them from a

projecting arm or beam

- Cranes are used to move and handle various heavy weight loads and also
transfer materials or personnel to or from marine vessels, barges and structures.

Crane Types

Hoisting devices used for cargo handling and other operations. Cranes are required to

hoist, luff and slew. Separate motors are required for each motion.

- Cargo cranes, cargo-handling cranes – Cranes for bulk cargo, containers, general

cargo, or palletised cargo.

- Construction cranes – Floating cranes for carrying out assembly-work in calm water

as well as in unprotected waters.

- Deck cranes – Cranes that do not handle cargo: provision cranes, hose handling

cranes, etc.

- Floating cranes – Usually barge type hulls provided with large cranes used for

various heavy lift tasks, salvage and wreck removals. Semi-submersible crane ships are

used to carry out offshore installation work.

- Gantry crane – A hoisting device, usually on rails, having a lifting hook suspended

from a car, which is movable horizontally in a direction transverse to its rails.

Gantry-type hatch cover crane – A deck crane used for handling the  hatch covers and

portable  bulkheads.

- Hose-handling cranes, manifold cranes – Cylinder-luffing cranes used to handle

tanker cargo hoses. A hose crane must be explosion-proof. Consequently, hydraulic

motors are usually supplied with fluid from a central pump unit located in a risk-free

zone.

- Monorail provision crane – Rail-mounted trolley that can be moved athwartship

and is fitted with rack and pinion drive.

- Offshore cranes – A range of shipboard cranes and floating cranes that work

offshore, also cranes mounted on offshore installations.

- Offshore cranes working on deck – Cranes on offshore installations not used as

supply cranes because of their location.

- Offshore supply cranes – Cranes located on fixed or floating offshore installations

for loading and unloading supply vessels.

- Twin cranes – Two cranes mounted on one platform, which can be rotated

horizontally through 360°. Each crane can be operated independently, when required

the two cranes can be linked together to operate in a twin mode. In this case, both

cranes are controlled from the cab of one of them.

Working Principles

Cranes, like all machines, obey the principle of conservation of energy. This means
that the energy delivered to the load cannot exceed the energy put into the machine.
For example, if a pulley system multiplies the applied force by ten, then the load moves
only one tenth as far as the applied force.
Obeying the laws of physics, the crane operates efficiently and maintains its stability.
The two major considerations in the making of cranes are:

1. The crane must be able to lift the weight of the load.

2. The crane must not overbalance or fall, that is, stability is essential.
The lever and the pulley coordinate with each other to create the mechanical
advantage. Cables, winders, chains, ropes, and a basic level-pulley system are the
essential parts of any type of crane. Simply, crane illustrates the use of simple machines
to create mechanical advantage.
Parts and Functions

1. The Hook

This may be one of the most recognizable and important parts of a construction crane.
The hook is the main connecting point between the crane and the load it needs to
carry. When you need to move large or heavy items around your job site, you can trust
the hook to hold them so the rest of the crane can do its work.

Hooks should be durable and strong so they can handle substantial loads of materials.
But hooks rely on other items to pick up a load. The next items on this list play a crucial
role in the crane’s ability to lift objects with the hook.

2. Wire Rope and Sheaves

Cranes use heavy-duty wire ropes to lift extreme loads. These ropes are actually cables
made of steel wires twisted into the shape of a helix. Then several of these helixes are
twisted together to create an even stronger rope. These wire ropes give the crane its
strength to lift objects with the hook.

Sheaves are crane components that can increase the weight the hook can lift. A sheave
is a pulley system that holds wire ropes that connect to the rest of the crane. The more
wire ropes, the more weight is distributed. This allows the hook to lift heavier loads
than a single wire rope would be able to lift.

3. The Boom

The boom is one of the largest crane parts, often visible from several miles away
depending on the size of the crane. Acting as the arm that holds the load, the boom
allows a crane to move heavy items around and send materials far from where the base
of the boom is.

There are two types of booms:

 Lattice boom: This boom consists of welded steel, reminiscent of the
appearance of a lattice. This gives it great strength while reducing the weight of the
boom.
 Hydraulic boom: This boom has telescoping sections, allowing it to extend to
reach far places and collapse for easy transportation.

4. Counterweights

Cranes hold a huge amount of weight. They’re able to do this without tipping over by
using counterweights. These weights go on the back of the crane and offset the weight
of the load. Without counterweights, cranes would tip over in the direction of the boom
lift. Counterweights always stay opposite the boom lift to keep the crane grounded and
secure.

Counterweights are removable to make transportation easier. You can add or subtract
the number of weights in the counterweight system to meet the needs of your current
load. Some counterweight systems are towable for even more freedom.

5. Outriggers

Outriggers are crane parts that provide extra safety when moving materials around the
job site. Along with counterweights, they ensure that cranes stay standing even when
transporting the heaviest of loads. Outriggers extend from the bottom of the crane and
stabilize it from the ground. They lift the crane off its wheels, removing the possibility of
the crane shifting its position from slight wheel movements.

The combination of outriggers, counterweights and a complex hoist system helps keep
your crane secure as it moves heavy loads and materials around the job site. When it
comes to operating cranes, safety is key for your entire crew. Outriggers add the extra
layer of safety you and your workers need.

6. Wheels and Tracks

Wheels and tracks allow cranes to move around the job site, depending on the terrain.
Wheels offer increased mobility, from maneuvering around a job site to driving down
the highway at high speeds. They’re the best option for bumpy, uneven ground, but
tracks might be your best option if the job site is soft and muddy.

Tracks are long and wide, giving a crane an increased level of stability over wheeled
cranes. They’re a bit slower than wheeled cranes and need smooth, even ground for
easy operation. But their safety and stability make them an attractive option for many
job site managers and engineers.

7. The Hoist

The crane’s hoist, or hoist drum, is the part of the crane that creates lift. It uses a
cranking mechanism and a wire rope to raise and lower the hook. It can hold thousands
of feet of wire rope, allowing you to move heavy materials over great distances and
heights with enough cable left over to maintain a safe hold.

The hoist is what makes it possible for the crane to lift items off the ground. Like the
other items on this list, it’s an essential part of the crane and is crucial for it to work.
You can find the hoist drum behind the main boom.
8. The Jib

Sometimes cranes need to move materials to an area beyond the reach of the boom.
That’s where the jib comes in. This part of the crane is an arm that extends
horizontally, providing extra space between the load and the crane. This is useful when
you need to move larger or longer loads that require the crane to be farther away
during movement.

A regular jib is usually fixed, but a “luffer jib” is a hinged variety found on some cranes.
You can move it up or down using its hinges, depending on the location of the main
boom at the time of movement.

Mandatory regulations

Bells and flashing lights are fitted to each leg to give a warning when they are moved.
They should be regularly checked. Manual safety stop buttons are provided and situated
at the base of each leg of the crane and also on the top platform and in the driver’s
cab.

They are clearly marked and are to be used in an emergency such as someone getting
in the way of the moving crane. They have the effect of instantly cutting of the power
from the hoisting and crane moving motor. Once the safe stop buttons have been
operated, they must be reset by ship’s staff in the main power house of the crane.

Safety cut outs are fitted at the ends of the gantry arms to stop the cab and hoisting
gear from going off the end of the arm. Cutoffs are fitted for the fires and aftmost
movement of the gantry crane to stop the crane from collision with one other or with
the accommodation housing or the end line buffer pads.

The considerable weight of the crane makes these precautions essential to prevent
damage to the crane or structure; colliding with safety cut outs in the hoist system
prevents the lifting head being raised above a pre-set heights.

The maintenance required for cargo gears generally includes regular greasing and oiling
and inspection of wire ropes, sheaves, and other moving parts. The gantries must be
kept free as a loose scale could fall on the deck and injure someone passing below.

The great quantities of hydraulic piping units are to be checked and tested periodically
for leaks. Since hydraulics are used for the rigging and unrigging of the gantry and are
not required during cargo work, hydraulic repairs are done immediately only when they
can be done without interrupting cargo handling or when they are causing immediate
problems.

Normally they are completed during the first removal interruption to cargo to avoid any
delay which could be blamed on the ship. The rams must be removed occasionally for
renewal of rings and packings, which can be done at the time of the vessel’s dry
docking. Since each crane uses ten motors, there is a need for a great deal of high
quality electrical maintenance. The drive motor in each of the four legs incorporates a
set of disc brakes that also need regular inspection and maintenance.

Mooring winch -
A hydraulic, electric, or steam machine on a ship used to haul in mooring lines when se
curing the ship to a pier or wharf.

Types of Mooring Winch

Winches can be categorised by their control type (automatic or manual tensioning),

drive type (steam, hydraulic or electric), by the number of drums associated with each

drive, by the type of drums (split, undivided) and by their brake type and brake

application (band, disc, mechanical screw, spring applied).

- Automatic tension mooring winch, self-tension winch – Winches designed to

heave-in automatically whenever the line tension falls below a certain pre-set value.

Likewise, they pay out if the line tension exceeds a pre-set value. The use of the self-

tension winches is not recommended except for mooring deployed at 90° to the ship

axis.

- Manual tension mooring winch  – Manual winch always requires a person to

handle the controls for heaving or rendering.

- Non-split drum mooring winch  – The undivided drum winches are commonly

found on smaller ships. It is often difficult to spool and stow the wire on such a drum

satisfactorily; when wires are handled directly off the drum, the final turns of the outer

layer when under tension tend to bite into the lower layer. This could result in possible

wire damage and difficulties when releasing the line. To reduce this problem, the winch
with non-split drum should be placed at a sufficient distance from the fairlead to ensure

that the wire can be properly spooled.

- Split drum mooring winch  – A winch with a drum divided by a notched flange into

a tension section and a line storage section.

Working Principle

A mooring winch assembly consists of a winch drum which has cable or rope wound
around it. The winch drum and warp end is driven with the help of a motor drive. All
these parts are supported with the help of a substantial frame, which also support a
band brake, clutch and geared drives.

The motor drive is connected to the barrel and warp end using a spur gear transmission
system. The transmission system is also provided with a clutch and a band brake. Thus,
the spur gear transmission system controls both the barrel and the warp end. The warp
end acts like a locking device, which prevents the rope from sliding off the barrel when
pulled excessively. Warp end is extremely important for moving the ship along the berth
for alignment purposes. This is done by fastening one end of the ropes or wires to the
bollards on the shore and the other end around the warp end of the winch.

Appropriate control of the drum movement is an important aspect of the mooring

operation. For this reason, band brakes are provided to stop the drum whenever
required. Also, it is important that the drum rotates smoothly in both reverse and
forward direction. A controller arrangement of the drive motor facilitates forward and
reverse direction as and when required, including selection of speeds as per the
requirement.

Most of the modern mooring winches help in avoiding the stress related to constant
monitoring of the mooring winches when the ship is berthing at a port. It is essential to
tension or slacken the mooring wires according to the flow of the tides and the change
in the draught that takes place due to cargo operations. The modern mooring
assemblies act as an automatic self tensioning unit, which provides for paying out or
recovering wires when a pre-set tension is not present.

Parts and Functions

a winch barrel or a drum,

a warp end
a driving motor.

Mandatory Regulations
1. Make Checks Prior Mooring – After an extended sea passage or a passage
undertaken in heavy seas and prior to mooring operation, ensure to check the following
–
i.         Any physical damages to the mooring mechanism.
ii.        All controls, linkages and the operating levers are well oiled, greased and free /
easy to use.
iii.       Ensure that all the brake drums and linings are suitably dried and clean of salt
deposits.

2. Do Frequent Greasing of Moving Parts  – All rotating parts of the mooring

equipment, which would include rollers, fairleads, winch drums, deck stands etc. must
be moved and lubricated on a frequent basis. Multipurpose grease is the best lubricant
for such applications (check the vessel’s lubricating chart for the right application).
Normally, high pressure grease guns are used for this kind of work.  Particular attention
must be given to the roller fairleads and deck stands as these often suffer from little
use and thereby are neglected. Rollers should turn smoothly and must be checked for
integrity as corrosion may have weakened them.

Tip – Always check the grease nipples before application and make sure the
nipples are free of rust, salt and grit. Change the nipples if necessary.

3. Check Brake Liners – Regular inspections must be made of the winch / windlass

brake linings for wear and tear. Oil, heavy rust and moisture on the brake linings or the
drums could seriously reduce the brake holding capacity of the winch and in some cases
as much by 75%. To remove the moisture in the linings, apply the brakes lightly while
running the winch (remember to avoid excessive wear and tear during this operation).
Oil has the tendency to get impregnated into the lining itself which is difficult to
remove. Thus the only option would be to change the lining as early as possible.
Remember that the brake holding capacity of the winch is dependent upon the type of
mooring pattern used.

4. Check Break Drums : Whenever brakes are opened up for any reason, ensure that
the brake drum is thoroughly checked / examined for build up of rust or other worn out
brake material. The part to be de-scaled and fitted with the replacement as required.

5. Check Brake Linkages – The brake linkages should be checked for free
movement. If the linkages are not free then there would be a loss of brake holding
capacity. This would create a wrong impression to the operator that the brake has been
applied fully, but in fact has not or the brake mechanism is hardened up from lever bars
,which have a tendency to build up high stresses on some mechanical parts of the
brakes.

6. Inspect Gear / Hydraulic Oil – Inspect the gear oil regularly through the
inspection cover in the winch / windlass. Whitish color of the liquid means the liquid is
contaminated and requires to be changed immediately. Use the replacement oil that is
recommended by the manufacturers.

 7. Carry Out Regular Visual Inspection: Ensure that regular inspection of the
synthetic mooring hawsers, heaving lines, messenger ropes, etc. is carried out for
damages, chafed areas, kinks and loose ends. Also make sure that each mooring rope
carries a certificate from the manufacturer. Additionally, check that the ID number of
each certificate is conspicuously marked / embossed on an identification plate and
subsequently attached to the end of the corresponding mooring hawser. If the hawser
is not supplied with the certificate, then the vessel has all the right to reject such a
supply and inform the office / purchasing department.

8. Clear Walkway: An important part of the mooring operation is to have the deck

completely free of obstructions and oily residues. Therefore, it is essential to keep the
decks clean, dry and if possible have anti-slip paint coatings over the deck surface, as
and how required. Often there have been cases where the support brackets for the
gratings (for winch operation) have been found neglected and therefore are heavily
corroded making the area most unsafe to step on. Officers should include such
neglected yet critical areas for planned maintenance in order to prevent an unforeseen
event when least expected.

9. Do Proper Marking and Labeling: Marking the mooring equipment is another

important aspect for a safe and effective operation. The ship’s officers should ensure
that the bollards, fairleads, rollers, etc. are marked with their safe working limits.
Additionally, the winches and windlass shall be marked for rotating direction of the
drums (render / heave), braking capacity, test dates and ID numbers of the equipment
subsequent to the certificates carried onboard.

10. Maintenance of Steel Wire Mooring Ropes – It is essential to grease and

lubricate the steel wire mooring ropes at regular intervals as rust will reduce the
strength of the wire in a very short period of time. Lubricating such ropes require
special grease, normally oil based compounds. An effective greasing is carried out by
removing the entire wire out of its stowed position and applying the lubricant
generously throughout the length of the rope. It is also important to note that the wire
should be turned end to end regularly to reduce wear and prevent corrosion. Visual
inspections are equally important and should be carried out regularly with special
attention to areas with dark patches. Any wire shall be replaced if it is damaged to the
extent that more than 10% of the visible strands in a length of a wire equal to 8
diameters are broken.

Windlass - A windlass refers to any pulley or mechanical system used to shift large
weights in a vertical or horizontal direction.

Types of Windlass
Horizontal Windlass
The traditional horizontal windlass is simple. The wheel, gearbox, and motor are all on
deck. All the parts are right there for maintenance making work simple. Every piece is
out in the open and enclosed in one protected manifold. Installing means just screwing
the windlass down in a good spot over the chain locker with a spill hole for the rode.
The chain flows naturally off the horizontal wheel and down the hole with the same
compass and angle. The lines flow without kinking or jamming. An nice extra is the
ability to have dual wheels. A horizontal windlass can maintain a wheel one each side
for a double bow roller set up.

Vertical Capstan
A capstan like a winch rotates around a vertical axis freeing up space. The gearbox and
motor are below deck while the wheel pokes above. Most of the windlass is below deck,
safe and invisible. The capstan is free laterally. The capstan feeds out the rode without
a dedicated angle. The bow roller and capstan can offset any different directions. They
are not necessarily in line or centerline. A side benefit is a lower center of gravity. With
the bulk of the parts below deck, the boat may go faster and stabler through the water.
The parts solidify the boat’s performance.

Working Principles
The manner in which the anchor windlass operates is through the following steps given
below:

 The electric motor turns a winch that rotates the winch drum.
  The dog clutch is first engaged and then activated using the winch.
 The clutch begins to crank the chainwheel in a specified direction, and at a
specified speed.
 The gypsy is used to contain and control the anchor chain during the entire
operation.
 The chain is lowered through the hawsepipe until a desired rode length has been
achieved.
 A pawl bar or Devil’s Claw is used to restrain the anchor rode in place.
 To release the pawl bar, the chainwheel relieves it of any tension from the rode
by being put in reverse.
 The chain can then be lifted by simply reversing the direction of the winch drum.

Parts and Functions

The major parts of a windlass are 

main shaft,

driving shaft,

inspection cover,

gear,

gear frame,

drums (one or more),

warping head or couplings,

brake band,

brake liner assembly,

chain wheel, gear wheel,

pinion,

clutch

high speed low speed hydraulic valve blocks.

Mandatory regulations
Maintaining safety is essential while working with heavy machinery such as the anchor
windlass. To obtain a factor of safety in the operation of the anchor windlass, the
windlass must be able to completely raise or lower the anchor head at any speed within
its given operating rpm range.
In addition, the maximum torque applied on the chainwheel or anchor drum at any time
must always lie safely within the operating ranges, and not at an extreme value.
In addition, the location of the windlass must always lie within safe operating
environments. For instance, if a windlass or the chain locker is located within the deck
inside the chamber, there must be proper provisions to ventilate the rode.
There is a high chance for the growth of microorganisms on the links when the chain is
stored in a dark and closed room.

To get rid of any waste or organisms on the chain, small hoses are attached to the
hawse pipe, such that the chain hauled into the chain locker is cleaned.

Difference of windlass and mooring winch

A windlass is a mechanical device, usually located near the center of the foredeck (the
deck, or flat part of the boat near the front) that grasps the anchor rode (rode: line or
chain that attaches the anchor to the boat), pulls it out of the water, and deposits the
line/chain either on the deck or below decks in a special compartment.
Think of a winch on the front of a boat trailer—crank the handle to pull the boat out of
the water. The difference between a winch and a windlass is that the line wraps around
and around the cylindrical portion of a winch; whereas the line goes into the forward
end of the windlass, passes around the gypsy (cylinder/drum/pulley) and exits out the
back (or bottom) of the windlass housing.
 
The shaft of a horizontal windlass is situated, as the name implies, horizontally, while
the shaft of a vertical windlass is positioned vertically.
                          
 A manual windlass uses your muscle power to operate the mechanism—simple, and
very traditional, but a lot of work, especially if the anchor is heavier than a couple cases
of your favorite canned beverage.
 
On the other hand, a power windlass uses electricity (or hydraulics, on mega yachts
and ships), rather than the sweat of your brow, to do the job. It’s easy—press a button
and the anchor goes up, push a button and the anchor drops—very cool.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+crane&sxsrf=AOaemvL5_1hieIzRNg6OzbcYKAi411y4Zw
%3A1637045921807&ei=oVaTYeTeML2M2roPipeTkAI&oq=what+is+crane&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMy
BQgAEMsBMgUIABDLATIFCAAQywEyBQgAEMsBMgUIABDLATIFCAAQywEyBQgAEMsBMgUIAB
DLATIFCAAQywEyBQgAEMsBOgcIABBHELADOgQIIxAnOgQIABBDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToFCA
AQgAQ6CAgAEIAEELEDOgUILhDLAUoECEEYAFDeCFioF2CQGWgDcAJ4AIAB2AKIAZYRkgEIMC4
xMC4yLjGYAQCgAQHIAQjAAQE&sclient=gws-
wiz&ved=0ahUKEwiks5mlp5z0AhU9hlYBHYrLBCIQ4dUDCA4&uact=5

https://www.wartsila.com/encyclopedia/term/cranes

https://www.crane-tec.com/post/mechanical-principles

https://civiltoday.com/construction/construction-equipment/135-crane-definition-and-working-
principle

https://generalcranect.com/parts-of-crane/

https://www.brighthubengineering.com/marine-history/84795-types-of-shipboard-cranes/

https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/mooring+winch

https://www.wartsila.com/encyclopedia/term/mooring-winches

https://www.brighthubengineering.com/seafaring/46303-what-are-mooring-winches/

https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-safety/10-important-points-ships-mooring-equipment-
maintenance/

https://owaysonline.com/deck-machinery/

https://www.marineinsight.com/tech/extremely-important-points-for-windlass-maintenance-on-ships/

https://www.marineinsight.com/naval-architecture/anchor-windlass-understanding-design-and-
operation/

https://www.discoverboating.com/resources/windlasses