Deck Crane

medium 1180 models total

A deck crane lifts cargo and stores independent of shore facilities, and its rated capacity falls sharply with outreach; the figure that matters is the load chart at the radius actually being used, not the maximum SWL painted on the boom.

What makes a deck crane different from cargo gear in general

A deck crane is a self-contained, slewing lifting appliance permanently fitted to the ship, distinct from derrick-and-boom cargo gear or gantry systems that move on rails. It combines its own power source (electro-hydraulic on the great majority of newbuildings, older units still found with electric or steam drive), a slewing platform, a luffing or fixed jib, and its own control station, so it can work independently of shore cranes at any berth or anchorage. On general cargo ships the deck crane may handle the entire cargo operation; on tankers and bulk carriers it more often serves stores, spares, hose handling and maintenance lifts, but the safety case is the same regardless of how often it is used.

Deck crane arrangement — Side view of a shipboard deck crane showing the pedestal and slewing ring, the operator cab, the luffing boom with its hydraulic cylinder, the wire rope to the hook block, and the winch drum.

Main components

Hydraulic power pack and drive

An electric motor drives a hydraulic pump feeding the slew, luff and hoist motors; this gives smooth, controllable lifting speed and allows the crane to be started and stopped locally without warming up a large prime mover.

Jib and luffing system

The jib is either fixed-length with a luffing cylinder to change radius, or telescopic to extend reach without increasing height. Luffing cylinders and their locking devices carry the full overturning moment of the load and are a primary inspection point.

Slewing ring and bearing

A large-diameter bearing carries the whole crane structure and lets it rotate on the pedestal; it takes both the vertical load and the tipping moment from an offset load, and its condition determines the crane's remaining working life more than almost any other single part.

Hoist winch and wire rope

The hoist drum and wire rope lift the load; rope diameter, construction and discard criteria are set against the crane's rated load and the wire rope's design factor, not chosen for convenience.

Overload and limit protection

A load moment indicator or equivalent safe load indicator monitors load against radius in real time and cuts hoist and luff functions before the rated capacity at that radius is exceeded.

Selection and sizing

Safe working load at the radius actually needed on deck, read from the crane's load chart, not the single maximum SWL figure
Outreach required to clear hatch coamings, deck cargo or the ship's side when working stores or spares
Hoisting speed and duty cycle appropriate to the cargo handled — general cargo work needs faster cycling than occasional stores lifts
Deck space and structural strengthening available at the pedestal foundation

Regulations and class

Deck cranes are lifting appliances subject to class society rules for cargo gear, which require a proof load test and thorough examination before entry into service and at periodic intervals thereafter, commonly annual thorough examination with a proof load test at longer, class-defined intervals. Wire ropes, hooks and other loose lifting gear associated with the crane carry their own certification and discard criteria. Where the crane is used for lifting persons in a work basket, additional class and flag requirements apply and are not automatically covered by the crane's cargo lifting certificate.

Typical faults

Fault	Cause	Consequence
Slewing ring bearing wear	Inadequate lubrication or long-term overload at maximum radius	Play in the crane structure, uneven slewing, eventual bearing failure
Hydraulic cylinder seal leakage	Seal wear or contaminated hydraulic oil	Loss of luffing control, jib creep under load
Wire rope degradation	Corrosion, fatigue from repeated bending over the drum and sheaves, poor lubrication	Broken wires reaching discard criteria, risk of rope failure under load
Load moment indicator drift	Sensor calibration lost over time, or damage during maintenance	Crane allows lifts beyond the true safe working load at a given radius

What to look for in a supplier

Load charts and safe working load documentation matched to the exact crane model and jib configuration fitted
Genuine or approved-equivalent hydraulic and electrical spares, given how model-specific crane control systems tend to be
Service history and proof load test records available with the crane if purchased second-hand or transferred between vessels
Local service support in the trading area, since a crane failure often means cargo operations stop entirely

The load chart, not the SWL plate, is what governs a lift — a crane rated for twenty tonnes close in may be good for a fraction of that at full outreach, and more than one deck incident has started with someone reading the wrong number.

Inspector Mode Show All 1180 total

24 manufacturers · 1180 models

MacGregor

223 ✓ 18 verified

GL 5t

Lifting Capacity (t)

Type

Technical Specifications

Safe Working Load (SWL): 25–100 t (Standardlinien); >500 t (Heavy Lift); kundenspezifische Anpassung möglich
Jib-Radius (Ausladung): 18–44 m (modellabhängig)
Antrieb: Hydraulisch (Closed-Loop-System) oder Elektrisch (VFD); beide Typen gleiche SWL und Reichweite
Drehkranz-lager: Self-aligning Rollenlager; Schmierung mit strukturiertem Fettplan; Rocking-Test zur Abnutzungsprüfung
Hydraulik: Closed-Loop-Design; unabhängige Steuerung Heben/Schwenken/Neigen mit voller Geschwindigkeit; Überwachungs- und Diagnosefunktionen
Zertifizierung: DNV-GL-ST-0378 (optional); IACS-Member-Gesellschaften; Klassenzertifizierung verfügbar

Product Lines

GL (Multipurpose Hydraulic)
GLE (Multipurpose Electric)
GLH (Heavy Lift Hydraulic)
GLHE (Heavy Lift Electric)
GLB (Bulker Hydraulic)
GLBE (Bulker Electric)
GLBS (Bulker Electro-Hydraulic)
PK/BPK (Provision/Boat Cranes)
HTC (Telescopic Knuckle Boom)

Common Failures & Inspection Points

Area: Drahtseilverschleiß und Beschädigungen
Check: Visuelle Kontrolle auf Brüche, Verformungen, Korrosion; DNV 5-Jahres-Regel: Proben entnehmen + Labor-Test; Jährliche Inspektion der gesamten Länge bei Schadensanzeichen → ggf. Austausch erforderlich
Area: Drehkranz-Lager-Verschleiß und Fettmangel
Check: Rocking-Test (axiales Spiel messen); Sichtprüfung: Fettspuren unter dem Lager (trocken = Verschleiß-Risiko); Fettproben entnehmen für Ferrographie-Analyse (Verschleißpartikelkontrolle: Lamellenteilchen = Lagerschaden)
Area: Hydraulik-Verschleiß und Leckagen
Check: Sichtprüfung auf Ölaustritt an Ventilen, Zylindern, Schläuchen; Hydraulik-Ölproben für Analyse (Wassergehalt, Verschleißmetalle); Drucktest und Steuerventil-Funktionsprüfung; OnWatch Scout IoT-Condition-Monitoring optional verfügbar
Area: Haken, Augen und Pin-Verbindungen
Check: Oberflächenrisse und Verformungen (visuelle Kontrolle); Zugprobe nach UNE-EN ISO 6892-1:2010; 'Safety-Related'-Komponenten: hohe Inspektionsstufe vor Inbetriebnahme und während Lebensdauer
Area: Lasttest und SWL-Prüfung
Check: Alle 5 Jahre Lasttest erforderlich (DNV-Anforderung); Proof-Load-Test: max. 110% der Maximallast (OSHA/ASME B30.2.0-1967); Funktionsprüfung aller Positionen unter Wasser/Kalibriergewichten; DNV-Surveyor anwesend
Area: Steuersysteme und Sicherheitsschalter
Check: Endschalter (Heben/Senken Grenzen); Überlaststoppfunktion; Druckregelventile (Druckprobe); Redundanz-Prüfung der Bremsen

Typ-universelle Inspektions-/Wartungspunkte fuer Deck Cranes (MacGregor + DNV/OSHA, 2026-06). Per-Modell-Specs NICHT auto-gefuellt.

Deck Crane

What makes a deck crane different from cargo gear in general

Main components

Hydraulic power pack and drive

Jib and luffing system

Slewing ring and bearing

Hoist winch and wire rope

Overload and limit protection

Selection and sizing

Regulations and class

Typical faults

What to look for in a supplier

24 manufacturers · 1180 models

MacGregor

Palfinger Marine

Liebherr Maritime Cranes

Seatrax Inc.

National Oilwell Varco

Heila Cranes S.p.A.

KenzFigee

Huisman Equipment

Favelle Favco

SMST Designers & Constructors BV

Liebherr Maritime

Heila Marine Cranes

TTS Marine

Kongsberg Maritime

Konecranes Marine

IHC Marine Cranes

OPEC Korea

Aicrane

Fukushima

Techcrane

HS Marine

ZPMC

Effer Marine

Appleton Marine