As part of a series, we have been examining some of the many applications and uses for lifting hoists across several industries. It has seen us explore everything from how they are used in larger industrial settings to manufacture millions of products like automobiles, to smaller uses such as helping to clean chandeliers. What is clear is this; lifting hoists are an incredibly useful piece of equipment. This is no less so in another large and crucial industry – the dockyard, ports and shipping industry.

More information on this sector

This is a large industry that encompasses many different sectors. From the construction and repairing of vessels in shipyards to the stacking, moving and transporting of goods from ports to the ships themselves, many elements make up this fast-moving sector.

There are many ways that this industry is utilised too. You’ll find maritime museums and cruise ships designed for tourists. As well as the commercial parts, this industry is also crucial in helping the global imports and exports economy run smoothly. That’s not to mention everything in between, such as simple fishing boats or military defence ships.

There are likely plenty of hoists in use here!

To get an idea of the scale of this industry, the numbers alone tell you everything that you need to know. 90% of the world’s trade is carried out through shipping methods, and around 1.7 billion metric tons are carried by shipping containers each year. This gives you an idea of the sheer size of this sector.

At the heart of much of this activity, whether it’s manufacturing the ships themselves or helping to load goods up onto them, sits lifting hoists. We’ve touched more on their uses and applications in this sector below.

It is also worth noting that the dockyard, ports and shipping industry is closely intertwined to the marine industry, although this focuses more on subsea operations, so we won’t be covering this in this article.

How are lifting hoists used within the ports and shipping industry?

The first way that lifting hoists aid this industry is at the start of the process, by helping to construct the ships themselves. Some ships are absolutely huge in nature, made up of parts far too large and heavy for any normal human to carry.

For this, lifting operations with safe, reliable and effective equipment is crucial. The same shipyards that manufacture the ships will also repair them, and again lifting hoists will help with this.

Once the ships have been completed or repaired, or to get them into shipyards, they are sometimes hoisted out of the water too. While it’s unlikely you’ll see this for larger vessels, it’s commonplace for smaller yachts.

Hoists will help load these containers onto ships

Dockyards, which you may see stacked with rows and rows of shipping containers, rely heavily on the use of lifting hoists. To move these containers around a site, or onto ships, this handy lifting medium is needed.

They are utilised in conjunction with other forms of lifting gear, mostly in the form of overhead cranes. These are large horizontal beams supported by two vertical legs, and you’ll often see this towering over dockyards.

Find out more from us today

As you can see, lifting hoists are a critical piece of equipment within the ports and shipping industry. Alongside this, they also help oil refineries, chemical plants, mining operations, entertainment shows, construction projects and more.

If you would like to find out more about our specific range of products and how they can help you today, then we’d love to have a chat. Please reach out to us here.

 

 

Image credits: Tookapic and kliempictures