Floating sheerleg
A floating sheerleg or simply sheerleg is a floating water vessel with a crane (the "sheerleg" itself), which, unlike a crane vessel, is not capable of rotating its crane independently of its hull.
There is a huge variety in sheerleg capacity. The smaller cranes start around 50 tons in lifting capacity, with the largest being able to lift over 4000 tons. The bigger sheerlegs usually have their own propulsion system and have a large accommodation facility on board, while smaller units are floating pontoons that need to be towed to their workplace by tugboats.
Sheerlegs are commonly used for salvaging ships, assistance in shipbuilding, loading and unloading large cargo into ships, and bridge building. They have grown considerably larger over the last decades due to a marked increase in vessel, cargo, and component size (of ships, offshore oil rigs, and other large fabrications), resulting in heavier lifts both during construction and in salvage operations.
Biggest sheerlegs
| Name | Company | Lifting capacity | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai-10000 | Hyundai Heavy Industries | 10,000 ton | Korea |
| Svanen | Van Oord | 8700 ton | Netherlands |
| Asian Hercules III | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 5300 ton | Singapore |
| HL 5000 | Deep Offshore Technology | 4536 ton | Iran |
| kaisho | IHI | 4100 ton | Japan |
| Yoshida No.50 | 3700 ton | Japan | |
| Musashi | Fukada Salvage | 3700 ton | Japan |
| Rambiz | Scaldis | 3300 tons | Belgium |
| Asian Hercules II | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 3200 ton | Singapore |
| Fuji | Fukada Salvage | 3000 ton | Japan |
| SADAF3000 | Darya Fan Qeshm Industries (SADAF) | 3000 ton | Iran |
| Taklift 4 | Boskalis Marine Contractors | 2200 ton | Netherlands |
| Suruga | Fukada Salvage | 2200 ton | Japan |
| Kongo | Fukada Salvage | 2050 ton | Japan |
| Left Coast Lifter | Tappan Zee Constructors | 1929 ton | United States |
| Matador 3 | Bonn & Mees | 1800 ton | Netherlands |
| Asian Hercules | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 1600 ton | Singapore |
| Taklift 6 | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 1200 ton | Singapore |
| PW L-1501 | Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd | 1500 ton | Singapore |
| Lifter 1 | Saipem | 1400 ton | Malta |
| Shin-kenryu | Yorigami Maritime Construction Co | 1400 ton | Japan |
| Shin-hakuho | Yorigami Maritime Construction Co | 1300 ton | Japan |
| Taklift 7 | Smit Internationale | 1200 ton | Netherlands |
| ITALIA | Fli. Neri | 1000 ton | Italy |
| Smit Cyclone | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 1000 ton | Bahamas |
| Taklift 1 | Smit Internationale | 800 ton | Netherlands |
| PW L-801 | Pacific Workboats Pte Ltd | 800 ton | Singapore |
| Izu | Fukada Salvage | 700 ton | Japan |
| Yamato | Fukada Salvage | 700 ton | Japan |
| Koei-go | Fukada Salvage | 600 ton | Japan |
| Enak | Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs GmbH & Co KG | 600 ton | Germany |
| Uglen | J.J Ugland | 600 ton | Norway |
| RMG 500 | Resolve Salvage & Fire | 500 ton | Singapore |
| Norma | Scaldis | 440 ton | Belgium |
| Asian Helping Hand III | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 400 ton | Singapore |
| Consul | Tenwolde Transport en Repair | 400 ton | Netherlands |
| GPS Apollo | GPS Marine | 400 ton | UK / Netherlands |
| GPS Atlas | GPS Marine | 400 ton | UK / Netherlands |
| Matador | Bonn & Mees | 400 ton | Netherlands |
| Matador 2 | Bonn & Mees | 400 ton | Netherlands |
| Smit Typhoon | Asian Lift (Smit & Keppel FELS) | 400 ton | Bahamas |
| SBG Himmat | Arihant Ship Breakers | 400 ton | India |
| HEBO-Lift 7 | HEBO Maritiemservice B.V. | 300 ton | Netherlands |
| Floating Crane No. 303 | Fukada Salvage | 300 ton | Japan |
| Wagenborg Triton | Wagenborg Towage Wagenborg Towage | 300 ton | Netherlands / Germany |