Passenger boarding bridges on the move
Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBB) are lightly built and the construction is quite flexible. Adding to that the huge glass surface, it is clear that extra care must be taken during both lifting and transport.
PBBs come in many shapes and sizes, but what they have in common is that they all are very light compared to their size. Most are fairly easy to ship, however some can be a devil in disguise, creating challenges by the position of their COGs, due to the position and allowed lifting angles of the (many) lifting points or due to their sheer size. Or even more challenging is a combination of all these characteristics.
Last year we shipped three PBBs for account of Adelte, supported by messrs LPL Barcelona. Two of the PBBs were destined for Southampton and one for Quebec. All pieces needed a detailed lifting simulation in order to keep them clear of the vessel’s cranes. Especially the PBB shipped in June this year on m.v. Happy Diamond was rather challenging. This PBB was ca. 40*25*18 m, weighing 230 mt and its height was sufficient for a possible clash with the ship’s cranes, as can be seen in the video in this article.
The other PBBs were different in size and slightly lighter, measuring some 42*17*18 m (m.v. Prinsengracht) and 36 x 25 x 21 m (m.v. Heerengracht), weighing 194 mt and 200 mt respectively. With the support of our in-house CAD 3D draughtsmen and our simulation programs the Captain and crew of all three vessel were coached to safely load and ship these passenger boarding bridges to their final destination. Special attention should go out the excellent crane drivers on the vessels operated by BigLift.