Charleston Harbor Introduces New Heavy-Lift Crane

The Ocean Ranger, Charleston Harbor’s newest heavy-lift crane, has made its Lowcountry debut by unloading a 308-ton generator onto a barge at Columbus Street Terminal.

The Ocean Ranger has a 500-ton lift capacity and can achieve a lift rating of up to 740 tons for heavier cargo. As a fully mobile barge crane, the Ocean Ranger is designed primarily for heavy project cargo lifts to and from breakbulk vessels but can also lift cargo on barges, railcars, trucks and container vessels.

The SC Ports Authority invested in the construction of the Ocean Ranger to ensure priority access and dedicated service over the life of the crane for Port of Charleston terminals. It is owned and operated by Charleston Heavy Lift, Inc.

“The Ocean Ranger is the newest asset in the Charleston Harbor,” said the South Carolina Ports Authority president and CEO Jim Newsome. “It brings a new capability to meet the needs of our customers who transport their breakbulk and non-container project cargo across our docks.”

Ocean Ranger boasts a LOA of 200 feet and a 162-feet long lifting boom. Certified by the American Bureau of Shipping and offshore-capable, the crane has the functionality to be used for salvage and recovery projects outside of the Charleston Harbor.

“We look forward to supporting breakbulk cargo operations and offering ocean carriers the benefit of our expanded services,” said Charleston Heavy Lift General Manager Bos Smith.

The crane barge was locally manufactured by Metal Trades, Inc. at their shipyard in Yonges Island. Ocean Ranger will be docked on the Cooper River near Veterans Terminal.

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port-of-charleston, March 19, 2014