Floating sheerleg

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.

1600 ton maximum lift capacity sheerleg Taklift 7 of Smit Internationale

There is a huge variety in sheerleg capacity. The smaller cranes start at around 50 tons^[which?] 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	Country
Pioneering Spirit		Allseas	20,000 t 22,000 short tons[1]	Switzerland
Hyundai-10000		Hyundai Heavy Industries	10,000 t 11,000 short tons[2]	Korea
Asian Hercules III		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	5,300 t 5,800 short tons[3][4][5]	Singapore
HL 5000		Deep Offshore Technology	5,000 t 5,500 short tons[6]	Iran
海翔 Kaisho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	4,100 t 4,500 short tons[7]	Japan
Gulliver		Scaldis	4,000 t 4,400 short tons[8]	Luxemburg
洋翔 Yousho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	4,000 t 4,400 short tons[7]	Japan
第５０吉田号 Yoshida No.50		Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.	3,700 t 4,100 short tons[9]	Japan
武蔵 Musashi		Fukada Salvage	3,700 t 4,100 short tons[10]	Japan
L-3601		Sembcorp Marine	3,600 t 4,000 short tons[11]	Singapore
Rambiz		Scaldis	3,300 t 3,600 short tons[12]	Belgium
Asian Hercules II		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	3,200 t 3,500 short tons[3][4][13]	Singapore
富士 Fuji		Fukada Salvage	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[10]	Japan
SADAF 3000		Darya Fan Qeshm Industries (SADAF)	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[14]	Iran
第28吉田号 Yoshida No.28		Yoshida-Gumi Co., Ltd.	3,000 t 3,300 short tons[15]	Japan
Name	Image	Company	Lifting capacity	Country
HEBO-Lift 10 (former Taklift 4)		HEBO Martitiemservice B.V.	2,200 t 2,400 short tons[lower-alpha 1][4]	Netherlands
駿河 Suruga		Fukada Salvage	2,200 t 2,400 short tons[10]	Japan
金剛 Kongo		Fukada Salvage	2,050 t 2,260 short tons[10]	Japan
Matador 3		Bonn & Mees	1,800 t 2,000 short tons[17]	Netherlands
Left Coast Lifter		Tappan Zee Constructors	1,699 t 1,873 short tons[18]	United States
Asian Hercules		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,600 t 1,800 short tons[3][4][19]	Singapore
PW L-1501		Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd	1,500 t 1,700 short tons[20]	Singapore
Lifter 1		Saipem	1400 ton	Malta
新建隆 Shin-kenryu		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co., Ltd.	1,400 t 1,500 short tons[7]	Japan
新柏鵬 Shin-hakuho		Yorigami Maritime Construction Co	1,300 t 1,400 short tons[21]	Japan
Taklift 6[lower-alpha 2]		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,200 t 1,300 short tons[4]	Singapore
Taklift 7		Smit Internationale	1,200 t 1,300 short tons[4]	Netherlands
Italia		Fratelli Neri	1,000 t 1,100 short tons[22]	Italy
Smit Cyclone		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	1,000 t 1,100 short tons[23]	Bahamas
Name	Image	Company	Lifting capacity	Country
Chesapeake 1000		Donjon Marine	910 t 1,000 short tons[24]	United States
HEBO Lift 9[lower-alpha 3]			900 t 990 short tons[25]	Denmark
Brabo		Antwerp Port Authority	800 t 880 short tons[26]	Belgium
Zahariy LR-800		Kuznia na rubalskomu ship building	800-850t 900 short tons	Ukraine
Taklift 1		Smit Internationale	800 t 880 short tons[23]	Netherlands
PW L-801		Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd	800 t 880 short tons[20]	Singapore
Uglen		J. J. Ugland	800 t 880 short tons[27]	Norway
伊豆 Izu		Fukada Salvage	700 t 770 short tons[10]	Japan
大和 Yamato		Fukada Salvage	700 t 770 short tons[10]	Japan
宏栄号 Koei-go		Fukada Salvage	600 t 660 short tons[10]	Japan
Enak		Port of Hamburg[lower-alpha 4]	600 t 660 short tons[28][29]	Germany
Cormorant		Multraship Towage and Salvage B.V.	600 t [30]	Netherlands
Name	Image	Company	Lifting capacity	Country
RMG 500		Resolve Salvage & Fire	500 t 550 short tons[31]	Singapore
SBG Himmat		Arihant Ship Breakers	450 t 500 short tons[32]	India
Norma		Scaldis	440 t 490 short tons[33]	Belgium
Asian Helping Hand III		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	400 t 440 short tons[3][34]	Singapore
Consul		Tenwolde Transport en Repair	400 t 440 short tons[35]	Netherlands
Tronds Lift 7		Tronds Marine	400 t 440 short tons[36]	Norway
Tronds Lift 8		Tronds Marine	400 t 440 short tons[36]	Norway
Matador		Bonn & Mees	400 t 440 short tons[17]	Netherlands
Matador 2		Bonn & Mees	400 t 440 short tons[17]	Netherlands
Smit Typhoon		Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS)	400 t 440 short tons[37]	Bahamas
HEBO-Lift 7		HEBO Maritiemservice B.V.	300 t 330 short tons[38]	Netherlands
Floating Crane No. 303		Fukada Salvage	300 t 330 short tons[39]	Japan
Triton		Wagenborg Towage	300 t 330 short tons[40]	Netherlands / Germany

Notes

1. 1,600 t (1,800 short tons) as delivered in 1981. Capacity upgraded in 2010.^[16]: 72
2. Sold to Turkey for scrap in 2017
3. ex-Samson
4. Acquired from Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs GmbH & Co KG [de]

References

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