Institute in Australia Uses HIAB Sea Crane for Deep Sea Research

The HIAB 251 crane has been an important part of many research expeditions planned by SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute) for over a year. The primary research vessel of SARDI called Ngerin makes use of the 251 sea crane for deep sea programs. The HIAB 251 crane has an impressive outreach of 11.6 meters, at which it can carry about 1,900 kilos. At full capacity, the 251 crane can lift an overwhelming weight of 10,500 kilos.

The main objective of the project is to deploy seabed moorings fitted with sensors into the ocean. These sensors would then measure important data like tidal flow, salinity, wave height and fluorescence. Ngerin is equipped with IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System) and the crane is an important part of the scientific research carried out by SARDI. Currently occupied by the IMOS initiative, Ngerin needed a quick upgrade on its lifting capabilities. The overall depth of the sea moorings would usually vary between 40 and 500 meters and required a powerful and versatile crane.

The moorings weigh just about 750 kilos, much lower than the load capacity of the HIAB 251 crane. However, the institute needed a crane that could operate safely and effectively in the volatile and ever-changing sea conditions. The new upgrade allowed them to do just that. The massive lifting capacity of the crane and its versatility has helped them deploy and retrieve moorings from rough parts of the sea. Additionally, the crane is also used for loading heavy equipment like diving gear and recompression chambers.