If you manage a marina, boatyard, or naval facility, you know the frustrations: vessels waiting endlessly for maintenance, docks that aren’t designed for heavy loads, and cranes that aren’t suited for waterborne operations. A Floating Dock Crane solves all these problems in one versatile machine. It lifts, moves, and positions vessels safely — without permanent dock modifications, without hull damage, and without slowing down your workflow.
This page covers everything you need to evaluate a Floating Dock Crane: how it operates, where it performs best, what sets ours apart, and the complete technical specifications. When you’re ready to specify a unit, our engineering team responds to enquiries within 24 hours, helping you get the right crane for your facility.
A Floating Dock Crane is a heavy-duty lifting system mounted on a barge, pontoon, or dedicated floating platform. It provides mobile, high-capacity lifting capability directly over water — without requiring fixed quayside infrastructure or shore-based crane access.
Unlike a shore-mounted crane, a floating dock crane moves with its hull. It can be towed or self-propelled to any accessible waterway location, positioned alongside a vessel or structure, and deployed for lifting operations that fixed land cranes cannot reach. This independence from shore infrastructure makes it the practical choice for shipyard docking operations, port construction, offshore installation, ship salvage, and coastal infrastructure projects.
The crane is available in slewing boom and fixed sheerleg configurations, across a wide capacity range from light-duty barge-mounted units to heavy offshore lift systems. Drive systems cover hydraulic, diesel-electric, and electro-hydraulic options. All units are engineered to the applicable marine classification society standards — ABS, DNV, BV, CCS, or Lloyd’s Register — depending on the vessel’s flag state and operational area.
All specifications are customized to project requirements. Final parameters are confirmed during engineering review.
| Parameter | Standard Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting Capacity | 10 t – 80 t+ | Sheerleg configurations for ultra-heavy lifts |
| Boom Type | Slewing / Fixed Sheerleg / Knuckle Boom | Application-specific |
| Slewing Range | 360° (slewing models) | Fixed on sheerleg configurations |
| Boom Length | 15 m – 80 m+ | Customized to lift radius requirement |
| Lifting Height | 10 m – 50 m+ | From waterline to hook at maximum height |
| Hoisting Speed | 0 – 5 m/min (loaded) | VFD controlled; varies by capacity |
| Slewing Speed | 0 – 1 rpm | Load and configuration dependent |
| Drive System | Hydraulic / Diesel-Electric / Electro-Hydraulic | — |
| Hull Type | Barge / Pontoon / Semi-Submersible | Project-specific |
| Dynamic Positioning | Optional DP1 / DP2 / DP3 | For offshore applications |
| Control Method | Operator Cab / Remote Control | Standard cab; remote available |
| Working Temperature | -20°C to +45°C | Cold-weather package available |
| Classification | ABS / DNV / BV / CCS / Lloyd’s Register | Flag state and operating area dependent |
The crane and hull assembly can be towed or self-propelled to any accessible waterway location. Lifting operations can be conducted at any point along a coastline, river, or harbor — independent of quayside crane availability or shore access constraints.
Available from 10-tonne barge-mounted service cranes to multi-thousand-tonne sheerleg heavy lift vessels. A single platform can be configured for the specific lift profile of the project — eliminating the need to mobilize oversized equipment for standard lifts.
All cranes are designed, manufactured, tested, and documented to the crane rules of the applicable classification society: ABS, DNV, BV, CCS, or Lloyd’s Register. This includes structural design review, load testing, and ongoing inspection documentation for the operating vessel’s certification.
Multi-layer marine-grade coating system applied to all structural steel:
DP1, DP2, and DP3 classified dynamic positioning systems are available for floating crane vessels operating in offshore environments where anchor mooring is impractical or where station-keeping precision is required during lifts. DP classification is project-specific and confirmed during engineering.
Floating dock cranes are the primary lifting tool in shipyards that operate floating dry docks. The crane lifts vessels — or major hull sections — during docking, undocking, block assembly, and launch operations. Barge-mounted slewing cranes serve medium-capacity shipyard work; larger sheerleg systems serve heavy ship sections and complete vessels.
Port expansion projects require lifting prefabricated caissons, sheet pile sections, mooring dolphins, and quay wall elements into position over water. A floating dock crane positioned alongside the construction front provides precise placement capability that shore-based equipment cannot reach.
Monopile foundations and transition pieces for offshore wind turbines require lift capacities in the hundreds of tonnes, placed precisely at offshore locations. Large floating crane vessels — including purpose-built semi-submersible heavy lift ships — are the primary installation tool for this application.
Raising a sunken, grounded, or damaged vessel requires floating crane capacity, underwater access, and the ability to position alongside the casualty regardless of shore access. Floating crane systems — sometimes operating in tandem for the heaviest salvage lifts — are the standard tool for marine salvage operations globally.
Prefabricated bridge segments, pier structures, and waterway crossing elements are lifted and placed by floating crane from the water surface. This approach minimizes traffic disruption on shore and provides access to locations where temporary land-based crane pads cannot be established.
Platform jackets, module installations, and heavy equipment lifts during offshore field development require floating crane capacity positioned at the installation site. Crane vessels with DP capability maintain position during lifts without mooring infrastructure in open water.
Canal construction, lock gate replacement, dam infrastructure, and river bridge construction all involve lifting operations over water where shore access is limited. Smaller floating cranes — on pontoon hulls sized for the waterway — provide access to these confined environments.
| Factor | Floating Dock Crane | Shore-Based Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Location flexibility | Fully mobile — any accessible waterway | Fixed to land — quayside access required |
| Water coverage | Lifts directly over water surface | Limited by boom reach from shore |
| Infrastructure requirement | Self-sufficient — hull is the platform | Requires crane pad, rail, or runway |
| Maximum capacity | Up to 1000 t (specialist vessels) | Typically limited by structural foundation |
| Offshore capability | Yes — with DP or anchor mooring | No |
| Operational cost structure | Day-rate project deployment | Capital asset with fixed operating cost |
| Best for | Offshore construction, salvage, port works | Routine quayside cargo handling |
Backed by 20+ years of manufacturing experience and exports to 80+ countries, HaiTai Crane delivers CE and ISO 9001:2015 certified lifting solutions to ports, shipyards, and marinas worldwide. From standard configurations to fully engineered custom builds, our technical team tailors every crane to your site conditions and operational requirements.
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