A self-propelled pontoon made entirely from standard scaffold components and fitted with a crane has been used for a project on the river Thames to install ladders, chains and wooden fendering.
This project is the debut of another evolution of the ScaffFloat system that launched in the UK just two years ago. The Cornish-based company has grown rapidly across multiple markets. This latest addition of a crane to their self-powered pontoons has got some in the industry likening it to the popular multicat style workboats.
For the project on the Thames, ScaffFloat mobilized an 8-meter x 6.4-meter ScaffFloat fitted with two 60 hp, high-thrust outboards giving 0.8 tonnes of bollard pull and a 5-knot service speed. Thirty of the company’s small 0.5-meter3 patented plastic floats provided 15 meters3 of buoyancy, giving it a comfortable 5-tonne payload on the 50 m2 wood deck.
A 2.8-tonne crane that can lift 600 kg at five meters was fitted to a custom-made steel crane base. This was designed in accordance with Lloyd’s Register Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment (CLAME, 2021). After NDT testing, it was then LOLER-tested. fitted to the ScaffFloat, and a full stability assessment was provided in line with IMO (International Maritime Organization) standards.
The ScaffFloat was also surveyed and licensed by the PLA (Port of London Authority) as a commercial vessel prior to its deployment.
Toby Budd, Scaffloat’s managing director and founder said, “‘We started off with simple pontoons that could be used for access. Then we added outboard pods to the pontoons turning them into workboats, and suddenly they became much more useful to our customers. Now 90 percent of our rentals go out as a ‘vessel.’ We then added spud legs, deck winches and other bolt-ons to add further value. But there is no doubt that the addition of a knuckle boom crane marks the biggest advance in the system from an engineering perspective. Lifting is a key component for most marine work. I’m delighted we can now offer this to our customers.”
The company is developing a crane base for larger projects and expects to soon offer a 7-tonne crane on their larger 750mm beam system.
The ScaffFloat was rented for almost two months to GPS MACS, a specialist marine contractor on the Thames. The ScaffFloat package provided the perfect tool for the job. It had very low draft (just 0.3 meters) and could be dried out on the steep mud banks, giving the workers a much larger tidal working window than more traditional vessels that would not have been able to ground out.
For more details about ScaffFloat, visit www.workfloat.co.uk.
