01.08.2008

Old cranes never die

Some 28 years ago Grove and explosion proofing company, Pyroban accepted a contract to build a Zone 1 version of the 140 tonne Grove TM1400E, from BP Oil for its Das Island refinery.
Please register to see all images

The Grove TM1400E photographed recently in the UAE

Designing building and then testing such a large crane (The 1400E was an eight axle machine and weighed almost 100 tonnes in road going configuration) to the rigorous Zone 1 explosion proofing standards was a major challenge.

The crane eventually passed all its tests, just squeezing into Pyroban’s test facility – The crane was built in a bay at Grove's Bicester facility.
Please register to see all images

All of the extensive Pyroban explosion proof kit appears to be in good working order

The crane went off to work in Das Island and one assumes worked flawlessly since. Looking at the photos we have received it looks as though, not only is the base crane in good shape, if not a little dusty, but all of its explosion proofing kit appears to be in place and operational.