Konecranes modernizes two shipyard cranes at Grand Bahama Shipyard

In October 2023, Grand Bahama Shipyard Limited (GBSL) had their two double boom shipyard cranes modernized by Konecranes Port Services. This drive and control system retrofit has improved crane performance while ensuring that technical support and spare parts availability continues.

Located in Freeport, on the northernmost island of the Bahamas, GBSL is specialized in the repair and refurbishment of cruise, cargo, and oil vessels for local and international customers. The rigid design of their two double boom shipyard cranes ensures the high level of accuracy needed to remove and replace heavy ship components. To maintain the long-term precision, reliability, and safety of their cranes, they decided to upgrade the drive and control system with a comprehensive modernization. 

The two shipyard cranes had their AC and DC drives replaced, an onboard computer was installed, and a remote monitoring system introduced to help optimize operations and simplify maintenance. Performance and productivity have gone up, and technical support is guaranteed long into the future. The control modification updated the equipment to current technology, ensuring it remains relevant for over a decade and avoiding risks of obsolescence. 

 

Modernizations really make a difference

Konecranes equipment is built to last, but even the highest quality components will eventually wear out, while the steel structure of the crane is usually still sound. A modernization adds digital, mechanical, or structural enhancements to increase crane longevity and replaces obsolete components from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) so parts are always available and downtime is minimized. 

“Nobody can use their vessels as we repair them in our dry dock. So, to ensure the best customer service, we need reliable shipyard cranes to help us get the job done quickly with a minimum of downtime,” says Marvin Basden, Vice President, Environment, Quality, Facility Maintenance & Infrastructure Development, GBSL. “After commissioning, we noticed immediately that our cranes ran more smoothly, and we can be sure that spare parts will always be available. Konecranes has proven their expertise and we’re more than satisfied with the results.”

A modernization is a major project and must be customized for specific cranes. In this case, two double boom shipyard cranes had the DC drives for slewing and AC drives on their hoists, luffing units, and gantries replaced as well as their motor modules and control units. New onboard PLC computers with HMI screens, new electrical cabinets, and a remote crane monitoring system (CMS) were all installed on the crane. The CMS allows GBSL to watch the performance of their cranes in real time and adjust crane settings from a tablet or other mobile device.

 

A long-term investment

“The technical demands of this project underline Konecranes’ know-how with customized upgrades,” says Carl Walters, Sales Director, Konecranes Port Services. “An upgraded crane uses the latest technology to improve the performance and useful lifetime of any crane. By modernizing their shipyard cranes, GBSL shows their dedication to long-term investment in their operations as they continue to develop their facility. We have worked with them for over two decades and are proud of the depth and strength our partnership.”