HAY POINT COAL TERMINAL EXPANSION 3

A craneage solution built out at sea for one of the world’s largest coal ports

LARGE-SCALE CONSTRUCTION, MINING

AUSTRALIA

PROJECT OVERVIEW

When we say we love a challenge and no job is too big for us, we mean it. But installing six tower cranes over moving waters two kilometres out to sea in a cyclone-prone part of the Australian coast really put Marr to the test.

Client

MCCONNELL DOWELL GEOSEA JOINT VENTURE

Project

HAY POINT COAL TERMINAL EXPANSION 3

Location

HAY POINT QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Sector

LARGE-SCALE CONSTRUCTION

Date

2011 – 2015

Cranes

4 x M2480D

1 x M1280D

1 x M40R

THE CHALLENGE

Our engineering solution needed to address a number of challenges: cyclone-proofing, transporting and installing the cranes 2kms out to sea, lifting on moving water and working within the confined space and limited load capacity on the wharf.

OUR SOLUTION

Working with McConnell Dowell and GeoSea Joint Venture (MDGS JV), we developed five individual design applications – including a complete travel system to transport and build the tower cranes at sea – to meet the overall demands of building the structure and ongoing support infrastructure in an extremely difficult environment.

THE RESULT

Our solution gave MDGS JV the ability to reduce the challenges associated with craneage on the project and drive productivity. It also weathered the storm of three major cyclones without incident or lost time caused by damaged to the cranes.

Located approximately 40 km south of Mackay in Queensland, Australia, the Hay Point Coal Terminal (HPCT) is part of one of the largest coal export ports in the world – the Port of Hay Point.

2011

BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), made the decision to expand the HPCT to meet the company’s growth targets. The contract for marine works on the AU$2.5 billion HPX3 Project was awarded to joint venture partners, McConnell Dowell and GeoSea.

Marr were contracted by McDonnell Dowell to develop a complex cranage system for building a cyclone-proof structure and ongoing support infrastructure in open waters 2 km out to sea.

The first step in addressing the challenge of how to transport and build the tower cranes at sea was to design a complete travel system that fitted onto the existing temporary and permanent rail systems. We designed and built a power travel bogie system that married up with a power travel cruciform base and allowed the cranes to be loaded on top of it.

Using Santa Fe jack-up barges (JUB) as movable work platforms, we set up the first M2480D crane on the JUB and towed it from Mackay Harbour to the construction site to build the first of the M2480D travelling wharf cranes. The first M2480D wharf crane was subsequently used to install the second and third M2480D travelling wharf cranes.

The M2480D on the Santa Fe was also used to install the M1280D on an isolated piled base solution that was subsequently used to build the Transfer Station at the connection point between the new Trestle and the new Wharf Structure.

The end result was five individual design applications to meet the overall demands of building the structure and ongoing support infrastructure. During the life of the project the cranage solution has weathered the storm of at least three major cyclones without incident or lost time caused by damage to the cranes.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE COULD ADD VALUE TO YOUR PROJECT

We work with our clients to find a craneage solution that works – no matter how big or complex the job is. If the right crane doesn’t already exist, we’ll build one to suit the needs of your project.

HAY POINT COAL TERMINAL EXPANSION 3

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Client

Project

Location

Sector

Date

Cranes

THE CHALLENGE

OUR SOLUTION

THE RESULT

2011

LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE COULD ADD VALUE TO YOUR PROJECT

CONTACT

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What we do

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