After the major damage to the gantry crane at Lindø in last December the most important task was to remove the collapsed crane. The remaining part of the collapsed gantry crane weighing 1,500 tonnes was removed in one lift from the newbuilding in Dock 3 on 30 December 1999 and was placed on the ground beside the dock. The work of cutting up the gantry for recycling will continue until mid-February. Production activities are now helped by using a large crawler crane. Five mobile cranes of this type will be used for erection work in Dock 3 over the next 12 to 15 months until a new gantry crane has been constructed and erected.

The crawler cranes have been in operation for a period of time and although many technical details must be taken into consideration it seems that it will be possible to follow the same construction cycle as before the collapse of the gantry crane. The Yard has received quotations for a new gantry crane from crane builders in Japan, South Korea and Europe. The quotations are now analysed and it is expected that the Yard will soon enter into negotiations for the purchase of the crane.