At Nordic Crane, development is a crucial part of our identity. In the Carlberg tunnel, which is part of the new 10 km long double track that Bane NOR (link) and MossIA (link) are building between Sandbukta-Moss-Såstad, we have recently tested our brand-new jacking system, Enerpac JS250.
In the Carlberg tunnel, this unique system is used as part of the preparations for casting the finished tunnel profile. The jacking-stations are fed with “cassettes”, which are “lifted” up to the desired height. Each jack takes 250 tons and can be raised 10 meters without difficulty.
The system offers several advantages:
Greater efficiency compared to traditional jacking-systems.
Greater control regarding weight/pressure and lift (stroke-controlled system).
The system is electric, and you avoid large diesel generators and hydraulic hoses.
On this project, Simon, Marit and Aleksander operated as jack managers. Aleksander was supervisor and controlled the computer systems, while Marit and Simon monitored jacks, prepared the intermediate steps, and arranged for “cassettes”.
In parallel with the existing Grenland Bridge outside Porsgrunn, a completely new bridge is currently being built that will become part of the new four-lane road on the E18 between Langang and Rugtvedt, which stands to be completed in 2025.
The new bridge will be built in the same way as the old one, which is Norway’s tallest cable-stayed bridge with a tower height of 166 meters. Nordic Crane is involved in the project and, for instance, were deeply involved in the installation of tower cranes earlier this autumn.
The most challenging aspect of this particular installation was the terrain. Here, the terrain shifts a lot in height, and there is therefore no natural parking space for a large 500t mobile crane. The solution was to place the equipment on plateaus. You can see more of this in the film below.
Ola Westerling and Oskar Nilsson were in place as crane operators.
In March 2022, Nordic Crane established its own department in Haugesund, thereby gaining a foothold in Western Norway. The region has several exciting projects, including the development of Boliden’s zinc smelter in Odda. The development is extensive and will almost double their production capacity.
Boliden’s zinc smelter is almost 100 years old and has been expanded several times over the years. Nordic Crane has an agreement with Kruse Smith regarding the project, which this year became part of Backe Entreprenør AS, and the engagement appears to last primarily until the turn of the year
Nordic Crane has been part of the project for almost 16 months and has had up to 7 mobile cranes and truck crane trucks working simultaneously. The staffing consists of employees from the department in Haugesund and employees from several of our other departments who work shifts (14-14). In addition, we use hired crane operators when needed.
With several hundred workers, from different contractors on the project, the whole thing can almost feel like an anthill. Challenges with regards to capacity were solved when large residential barges were towed in and docked. It is therefore a very short distance “home” at the end of the working day.
Odd Bruno Bø-Fremstad (Fredrikstad department), and crane operator Jan Erik Frantsen (hired) on our 160-tonner. Odd-Bruno Bø-Fremstad from the department in Fredrikstad, is the one from Nordic Crane who has been with Boliden the longest. With his Volvo crane semi, he has full days moving steel-reinforcement, formwork and much more internally on site. Odd Bruno has close contact with the client, and feels the collaboration works well.
“Commuting between Fredrikstad and Odda is okay, even though it can sometimes be challenging to spend so much time away from home. But the working environment is great, and it’s well facilitated here, so that helps,” he says.
“The biggest challenges are related to the fact that there are many cranes and many other companies inside the area, at the same time as the production lines are running at full capacity. But everyone does a good job of safeguarding HSE work, so it’s no problem,” says Odd Bruno.
A department still under development NordicCrane is active throughout Scandinavia but is constantly working to expand its horizons.
“It’s great that we’ve gained entry into the region. The start-up phase of new departments is always demanding, but here we really have something exciting going on, explains CEO Eirik Kynningsrud.
“In Odda we are both at Boliden and at Tizir, as well as a number of other exciting assignments in the region. The work to develop the department in Haugesund is ongoing and is a priority task. At Nordic Crane we have many dedicated employees who are willing to join the projects wherever they are. This is extremely important in today’s market,” he concludes.
Early in the morning, April 27th, there is a rockslide near the factories of Norske Skog Saugbrugs in Halden. Several buildings are damaged, and fortunately none of the people inside the area are injured. Left behind is 2,000 cubic metres of rock mass to be removed, as well as a mountainside that must be secured against future rockslides. Nordic Crane are quick to deploy the largest crane the company possesses, to aid with the clean-up work.
“It took about a week from when we received the request to assist, until the crane was fully rigged and operational,” explains Paul Karlsen, COO of Nordic Crane Heavy Lift.
“If you take into consideration that the crane comes ‘split up’ into 40 truckloads and has to be installed ‘in place’, I think the reaction time is quite impressive and says a lot about us as a company,” he says.
The crane in question can be assembled in many different ways and rigged based on what it’s to be used for. In Halden it was fully rigged, with all equipment in use. The lifting capacity is an enormous 650 tonnes with a relatively short boom, but during the clean-up work at Saugbrugs, a boom length of 150 meters was required, with and 25 tons on the hook. A job the crane manages with confidence.
“The landslide brought with it an enormous amount of rock mass and in addition to removing this, it was important to secure the landslide site. To achieve this, our crane was used to lift in an excavator and a drill, as well as assist in the actual clean-up, as there were large machinery and equipment that had to be lifted out,” Karlsen explains.
Fullriggerøya is an artificial island in the Trondheim Fjord where homes, boat yards and commercial buildings are being built. The first homes were completed already in 2013, and now the construction of a completely new recreational- and public swimming area has also begun. Nordic Crane was in place to lift and install a new pedestrian and cycle bridge, making access to the swimming area easier.
Grilstad Marina AS is building over 800 homes and a marina for 1000 boats in connection with an artificial island out in the Trondheim Fjord. Although much is finished, there is still some work to be done with regards to completing green spaces and recreational areas. On site, construction of a new bathing/swim area is underway and to improve access, a new pedestrian and cycle bridge has been installed over the “canal”.
“When we started planning last summer, we thought we had to use a 650-tonne crane. With the total weight and distance of the lift, this was initially quite obvious, says Reidar Røhjell Skarsem from Nordic Crane dept. Trondheim
“Along the way, however, it became clear that the job had to be done with a smaller crane. There wasn’t enough parking space for a large crane and the distance was simply too far,” he continues.
The solution was to use a Liebherr LTM 1230-5.1 which has a 75-meter telescopic boom. The final plan was to transport the mobile crane in by barge and use this as parking. In collaboration with Boa Offshore AS, calculations were made regarding the crane’s weight, counterweights and how the barge would behave when the crane moves with/without load.
Reliant on good weather and good planning
-We were of course particularly reliant on good weather and the job was postponed twice, but on the third day the weather gods showed us mercy and we got a whole day without wind and waves, explains Skarsem.
The crane was driven on and off the barge at Trondheim Harbour and transported to Grillstad Marina by tugboat, before two smaller tugboats took over, as it became too shallow for the large one.
With the crane and barge safely placed, three bridge elements were lifted into place. Two of 28 tons and one of 12 tons.
“In order for us to stay under a certain amount of pressure on the barge, it was calculated that the crane should not hoist the bridge elements further than 18 meters.
“There’s a lot of planning in a job like this. Many calculations. Skilled employees, modern equipment and experience are essential. Here we used the Liebherr crane’s integrated system and external PC programs to find the pointed centre of gravity. Once we have this, we know which boom angle/radius to stay on, so the barge doesn’t tilt too much. This time we set a limit of 2° inclination laterally,” explains Skarsem.
Terje Ingvaldsen was behind the controls of the mobile crane, and the job was carried out exactly according to plan.
