Stoddart Crane Hire Completes Complex Barge Lift in Scapa Flow
- Meagan Wood
- May 13, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
30-Second Takeaway
Stoddart Crane Hire completed a challenging marine lift at Scapa Flow, lowering a 45-tonne test drilling rig from a barge to the seabed 23 metres below. The operation required detailed marine calculations, crane performance modelling, and real-time monitoring using ROVs to manage barge movement and ensure precise placement.
Stoddart Crane Hire has successfully completed a complex marine lifting operation in Scapa Flow, one of the UK’s most historically significant and technically challenging marine environments. The project involved lifting a 45-tonne test drilling rig from a barge and carefully lowering it to the seabed at a depth of 23 metres.
Unlike conventional contract lifts, the operation introduced additional variables associated with marine movement, requiring a bespoke engineering approach and close coordination between multiple specialist teams.
Managing Marine Movement and Lift Dynamics
A key challenge was accounting for the natural movement of the barge throughout the lift. Marine engineers from the client’s team carried out extensive calculations to assess barge motion and its impact on load behaviour during lowering.
To address these dynamics, Stoddart Crane Hire worked closely with Liebherr Cranes UK and Liebherr’s engineering team in Ehingen, Germany, developing a detailed case study to model how the crane would perform under changing conditions. This included assessing crane response to barge sway and ensuring controlled load movement throughout the operation.
Real-Time Monitoring and Communication
Clear communication was central to the lift’s success. Stoddart’s Lift Supervisor maintained continuous coordination with the client’s marine team, who monitored the descent using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) positioned below the barge.
Live camera feeds provided real-time confirmation of the rig’s position and proximity to the seabed, allowing precise adjustments during the final stages of the lift. This close integration between lifting and marine monitoring ensured the load was placed accurately without incident.
Precision Execution in a Historic Setting
Despite the complexity of the environment and the unconventional nature of the lift, the operation was completed smoothly, reflecting the depth of planning, technical preparation, and teamwork involved.
The coordinated effort between Stoddart Crane Hire, the client’s marine engineers, Liebherr Cranes UK, and Liebherr’s central engineering team ensured the lift progressed exactly as planned, with no unexpected issues during execution.
Engineering, Planning, and Partnership
The project highlights the importance of engineering-led planning and strong collaboration when undertaking non-standard lifting operations. By combining marine engineering expertise with advanced crane performance analysis and clear communication, the team was able to manage risk and deliver a safe, controlled outcome.
Stoddart Crane Hire continues to support demanding lifting projects where precision, safety, and technical understanding are critical to success.
About Stoddart Crane Hire
Stoddart Crane Hire is a UK-based crane hire and contract lifting specialist with extensive experience delivering complex, non-standard lifting operations, including marine, offshore-adjacent, and infrastructure-related projects. The company operates a fleet of modern mobile cranes and supports projects that require engineering-led lift planning, precise execution, and close coordination with multiple stakeholders.
Stoddart’s capabilities extend beyond conventional land-based lifting, regularly supporting operations where environmental conditions, load behaviour, and access constraints introduce additional risk factors. By combining experienced lift supervision, detailed planning, and strong collaboration with clients and OEM partners, the company is able to deliver controlled outcomes in technically demanding environments such as Scapa Flow.
Learn more → https://www.stoddartcranehire.co.uk
About Liebherr Cranes
Liebherr is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mobile, crawler, tower, and maritime cranes, with a long-established presence in marine, offshore, and port-related lifting applications. Liebherr’s crane engineering teams work closely with contractors to support lifts where dynamic loading, vessel movement, and complex load paths must be carefully managed.
Through collaboration between Liebherr Cranes UK and its central engineering teams in Ehingen, Germany, Liebherr provides customers with project-specific performance analysis, crane behaviour modelling, and application engineering support. This capability is particularly relevant for marine lifts such as the Scapa Flow operation, where crane response to external movement is a critical factor in lift safety and success.
Visit website → https://www.liebherr.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What made the Scapa Flow lift different from a standard contract lift?
The lift involved lowering a load from a moving barge to the seabed, meaning crane performance had to account for marine motion, rather than operating from a fixed platform.
Why was detailed engineering analysis required?
Barge movement introduces variable forces on the load and crane. Marine engineers and Liebherr’s engineering teams carried out calculations to understand how the crane would respond to sway and motion during the lift.
How was load positioning controlled underwater?
The descent was monitored using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), providing live camera feedback to the lift team to guide final placement on the seabed.
What role did communication play in the operation?
Continuous communication between the Lift Supervisor, marine engineers, and ROV operators was essential to coordinate movements and respond immediately to real-time conditions.
Why was collaboration with Liebherr important?
OEM engineering support ensured the crane’s performance characteristics were fully understood under marine conditions, reducing risk and improving confidence during execution.
What does this project demonstrate about Stoddart Crane Hire’s capabilities?
It highlights the company’s ability to plan and execute technically complex, unconventional lifts where environmental factors and precision requirements go beyond standard lifting operations.
