A floating sheerleg (also: shearleg) is a floating water vessel with a crane built on shear legs. Unlike other types of crane vessel, it is not capable of rotating its crane independently of its hull.
There is a huge variety in sheerleg capacity. The smaller cranes start at around 50 tons in lifting capacity, with the largest being able to lift 20,000 tons. The bigger sheerlegs usually have their own propulsion system and have a large accommodation facility on board, while smaller units are floating pontoons that need to be towed to their workplace by tugboats.
Sheerlegs are commonly used for salvaging ships, assistance in shipbuilding, loading and unloading large cargo into ships, and bridge building. They have grown considerably larger over the last decades due to a marked increase in vessel, cargo, and component size (of ships, offshore oil rigs, and other large fabrications), resulting in heavier lifts both during construction and in salvage operations.
List of floating sheerlegs by lifting capacity Name Image Company Lifting capacity CountryPioneering SpiritAllseasSwitzerlandHyundai-10000Hyundai Heavy IndustriesKoreaAsian Hercules IIIAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)SingaporeHL 5000Deep Offshore TechnologyIran海翔KaishoYorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.JapanGulliverScaldisLuxemburg洋翔YoushoYorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.Japan第50吉田号Yoshida No. 50Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.Japan武蔵MusashiFukada SalvageJapanL-3601Sembcorp MarineSingaporeRambizScaldisBelgiumAsian Hercules IIAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)Singapore富士FujiFukada SalvageJapanSADAF 3000Darya Fan Qeshm Industries (SADAF)Iran第28吉田号Yoshida No. 28Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.JapanHEBO-Lift 10 (former Taklift 4)HEBO Martitiemservice B.V.Netherlands駿河SurugaFukada SalvageJapanSB PelicanoSuperbraço Serviços Marítimos LtdaBrazil金剛KongoFukada SalvageJapanMatador 3Bonn & MeesNetherlandsLeft Coast LifterTappan Zee ConstructorsUnited StatesAsian HerculesAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)SingaporePW L-1501Pacific Workboats Pte LtdSingaporeLifter 1Saipem1400 tonMalta新建隆Shin-kenryuYorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.Japan新柏鵬Shin-hakuhoYorigami Maritime Construction CoJapanTaklift 6Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)SingaporeTaklift 7Smit InternationaleNetherlandsBGL1Superbraço Serviços Marítimos LtdaBrazilItaliaFratelli NeriItalySmit CycloneAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)Bahamas Chesapeake 1000Donjon MarineUnited StatesHEBO Lift 9DenmarkBraboAntwerp Port AuthorityBelgiumZahariy LR-800Kuznia na rubalskomu ship building800-850t
900 short tonsUkraineTaklift 1Smit InternationaleNetherlandsPW L-801Pacific Workboats Pte LtdSingaporeUglenJ. J. Ugland Norway伊豆IzuFukada SalvageJapan大和YamatoFukada SalvageJapan宏栄号Koei-goFukada SalvageJapanEnakLÜHRS Schifffahrt GmbH & Co. KGGermanyCormorantMultraship Towage and Salvage B.V.600 t NetherlandsRMG 500Resolve Salvage & Fire SingaporeSBG HimmatArihant Ship BreakersIndiaNormaScaldisBelgiumAsian Helping Hand IIIAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)SingaporeConsulTenwolde Transport en RepairNetherlandsTronds Lift 7Tronds MarineNorwayTronds Lift 8Tronds MarineNorwayMatadorBonn & MeesNetherlandsMatador 2Bonn & MeesNetherlandsSmit TyphoonAsian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)BahamasSAMSONCrofton Diving Corporation, Inc.350 short tonsUnited StatesHEBO-Lift 7HEBO Maritiemservice B.V.NetherlandsFloating Crane No. 303Fukada SalvageJapanTritonWagenborg TowageNetherlands / GermanyCábrea ParáSuperbraço Serviços Marítimos Ltda250 t 275 short tonsBrazil
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