Chain Pullers

Mammoet had developed a totally new solution for salvaging both parts of a ship’s hull: this is a puller system, consisting of eight 300-ton chain pullers that are set up on a pier.

The chain pullers were specially designed and built in a record time of six weeks for this project in the Mammoet yard at Schiedam, the Netherlands. The chain pullers are containerized for easy, efficient, and cheaper transport. Two pullers fit in a 40 ft container. The capacity of the chain pulling device is 300 tonnes.

The chain puller has two locking devices, one at the front where the chain comes in and one at the other end of the hydraulic cylinders. The load transfer system is done in two ways.

Pulling

The load travels through the chain into the plate of the locking structure. The locking plate bears two vertical plates of the box structure. The whole box structure is connected with the end of the hydraulic cylinders and can slide over the support beam. The load travels through the cylinders to the base plate of the locking structure, in turn transferring the load on to the support beam. The support beam brings the load to the pad eyes at the end of the system. The pad eyes are connected with two shackles and a sling. The sling is connected with the strong point, which will hold the load on the ground anchor (or other form of dead weight).

Retracting

After a full stroke of the system, the other locking plate will take over the load in the chain. This plate will bear on the vertical plates of the box structure and lead the load onto the support beam. The load will then travel the same way as during pulling.