Emergency Quayside Crane Machining & Repair
In the ports sector, downtime is not just an inconvenience, it costs thousands by the hour. When a ABP Gottwald cargo crane suffered a severe mechanical failure at 17:00 on a Friday evening, it created an immediate logistical nightmare, leaving three commercial ships stranded at the dock awaiting discharge. While other engineering firms might be clocking off for the weekend or charging extortionate emergency overtime rates, our engineering team deployed directly to the quay. Thanks to our 24/7 Flat Rate Promise, the client knew they would get our full expertise without the penalty of premium Friday night call-out fees.
Precision In-Situ Boring on the Crane Boom
The core of the breakdown was a severely defective pin jammed deep within the jib end of the crane’s boom. This was not a simple parts-swap, it required highly specialised heavy machining to resolve safely. At Hickman Engineering, we never shy away from the difficult jobs. Using our advanced machining equipment, our engineers successfully bored out the damaged component to a depth of 300mm directly on the crane. This precision in-situ work allowed us to safely dismantle the surrounding assembly and rush the crucial parts back to our Immingham workshop for an emergency overnight rebuild.
A Twelve-Hour Turnaround
We do not believe in waiting weeks for overseas replacement parts when ships are waiting to sail. Working through the night, our traditional machining division reverse-engineered and fully manufactured every required replacement component from scratch. Within just twelve hours of that initial Friday evening call, we had precision-turned a brand-new EN24 steel pin to a 140mm diameter head size, meticulously drilling, tapping, and milling the keep plate slots and grease ways to exact tolerances. Alongside this, we manufactured two heavy-duty EN8 bearing shields. By keeping the entire rapid-response process in-house, we got the Gottwald crane safely back to work by Saturday morning, allowing the port to resume cargo operations and clear the backlog.
We can help you too
We’re up for the challenge! Hickman Engineering prides itself on undertaking works that are considered too challenging for other firms. We never shy away, no matter the magnitude. Whether this is a small project or large, we offer a set rate 24/7 coverage which is available to all of our clients. Challenge us to come up with your solution.
