When Southern African Shipyards in Bayhead, Durban needed to remove two 55-year-old, 190-tonne Krupp rail-mounted shipyard portal cranes for scrapping, the scale of the project — and the challenge of working in a busy harbour environment — made this one of Reef Rigging’s most significant structural dismantlement operations.
Project Overview: Removal of 190-Tonne Shipyard Portal Cranes
The two Krupp portal cranes had served the Bayhead harbour for over five decades and were at the end of their serviceable life. At 190 tonnes each, their removal could not be accomplished without specialist heavy lift cranes and a formal dismantlement plan. The harbour environment introduced additional constraints — limited access for large cranes, proximity to active shipping operations, and the structural complexity of the crane frames themselves.
Approach and Execution
Reef Rigging’s dismantlement approach involved a formal sequence plan that identified the order in which structural elements would be removed, ensuring stability of the remaining crane structure at each stage. Heavy mobile cranes managed the lifting and lowering of major sections. The dismantled sections were sorted for scrap and removed from the harbour site. The project demonstrated Reef Rigging’s capability for complex structural dismantlement operations in challenging industrial environments.
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