Cranemaster raises the bar with the world’s largest 3000T Passive Heave Compensator with Heerema pushing the limits of offshore heavy lifting

Porsgrunn, Norway – Cranemaster has developed the world’s largest Passive Heave Compensator (PHC) and shock absorber, engineered to safely manage dynamic loads of up to 3500 tonnes during offshore lifting operations.

The new unit, CM3-3000T-5500-A, was developed in close collaboration with Heerema Marine Contractors, one of the world’s leading offshore installation contractors, in response to the rapidly increasing scale of offshore wind installation projects.

As offshore structures continue to increase in scale and weight, installation contractors are encountering challenges that push beyond the capabilities of traditional crane capacity. In these environments, the primary challenge is no longer just the static weight of the load, but the dynamic forces created by vessel motion and load interaction.

Recognising the scale of upcoming installation campaigns (some of the largest ever planned) Heerema approached Cranemaster to develop a passive heave compensation system capable of managing these extreme dynamic forces.

The result is the CM3-3000T-5500-A, the largest passive heave compensator ever developed.

The collaboration combined Heerema’s operational experience from some of the world’s most complex offshore installation campaigns with Cranemaster’s more than four decades of expertise in shock absorption and passive heave compensation.

Together, the companies engineered a system capable of stabilising ultra-heavy loads while protecting cranes, rigging and structures from peak forces generated by vessel motion.

The new PHC absorbs shock loads and dampens vertical movement during lifting operations, allowing operators to maintain better control of large structures in challenging offshore conditions. By reducing peak loads and improving load stability, the system expands operational weather windows and improves overall safety margins during critical lifts.

The unit has already been deployed in offshore wind installation projects and is scheduled for further installation work later this year.

In addition to its 3000-tonne capacity, Cranemaster will also be introducing a world-first capability: the ability to deploy two CM3-3000T-5500-A units in parallel, creating a combined 6000-tonne passive heave compensation and shock absorption system.

A configuration of this scale will enable safe and controlled lifting of some of the largest offshore structures ever installed, including:

• offshore jackets and topsides
• large offshore wind foundations and monopiles
• floating wind structures
• heavy subsea infrastructure

The dual-unit configuration significantly increases lifting capacity while maintaining the same level of dynamic load control and shock absorption.

At this scale, the CM3-3000T-5500-A unlocks new possibilities across multiple offshore
applications:

• Ultra-heavy lifting up to 3000T
  Enables single-lift handling of massive structures, reducing offshore time, complexity, and cumulative risk.
• Large-scale decommissioning and salvage
  Allows entire structures to be lifted and removed intact, eliminating the need for cutting and sectional removal.
• Offshore wind installations at increasing scale
  Provides essential pile run protection during installation of larger foundations and piles, controlling dynamic loads and safeguarding equipment.
• Improved safety in challenging conditions
  Reduced peak loads and dampened motion lower stress on equipment and improve operational stability

Before entering offshore service, the CM3-3000T-5500-A underwent an extensive full-scale testing programme in Norway.

Testing included extreme vertical load cycles, dynamic response behaviour and structural verification under simulated wave-induced motion. Performance was validated through a combination of physical testing and advanced simulations to ensure compliance with international offshore lifting standards.

Designed and manufactured in Norway, the CM3-3000T-5500-A represents the latest development in Cranemaster’s long history of engineering solutions for offshore lifting challenges.

For more than 40 years, Cranemaster has supported offshore operators and installation contractors with technologies that improve safety and control during heavy lifting operations.

As offshore wind installations increase in scale, decommissioning projects grow larger, and lifting operations continue to push into new weight classes, the CM3-3000T-5500-A demonstrates how collaboration between installation contractors and engineering specialists can unlock new capabilities for the offshore industry.

About Cranemaster
Cranemaster is a Norwegian engineering company specialising in passive heave compensation and shock absorber technology for offshore lifting operations. Cranemaster units are used to reduce peak dynamic loads and control vessel motion during the lifting, transportation and installation of heavy offshore structures. The technology is widely used across the offshore energy industry to improve safety margins and enable controlled heavy lifting operations.

About Heerema
Heerema Marine Contractors is a world-leading offshore contractor specialising in the transportation, installation, and removal of offshore structures for the energy industry. With a fleet of some of the largest crane vessels in the world, Heerema delivers complex offshore projects including platform installations, subsea structures, and deepwater developments. The company combines decades of engineering expertise with advanced offshore capabilities to execute some of the industry’s most challenging heavy lift operations.

For questions or more details, please contact:
Espen B. Johansen
CEO
[email protected]
+47 4586 8899
Learn more about the 3000T Passive Heave Compensator →

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