On April 15, the Lifting and Handling Department successfully conducted its annual crane maintenance and load tests on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s Portal Crane 34 (PC 34). Through the collaborative effort of Lifting and Handling’s Engineering, Quality Assurance and Inspection, Crane Maintenance, Crane Operations and Rigging divisions, Naval Facilities (NAVFAC) and Navy Crane Center (NCC), they were able to get certified on time and ready to work on availabilities despite the limited space due to ongoing construction projects at PNSY.
Portal Cranes (PCs) across PNSY undergo rigorous, annually scheduled maintenance that includes a testing and inspection period. Once the crane completes the maintenance and the load test is verified, the Load Test Director compiles the final test package for certification.
The Crane Maintenance division managed the schedule, as well as outlining and executing the work. Traditionally, crane maintenance and load testing are performed in a designated location called the Load Test Area (LTA). However, this year’s maintenance for PC 34 coincided with ongoing work on PC 79 in the LTA. As a result, the maintenance and testing of PC 34 had to be completed at the head of Dry Dock 1.
“I couldn’t be happier with our team,” said Crane Maintenance Division Head Matt Charland. “We faced some big challenges while tackling the scheduled maintenance on PC 34. With the P-381 Multi-Mission Dry Dock 1 project underway, our crew was unaffected by these hurdles. They performed the work safely and kept our expansive maintenance schedule on track, while meeting deadlines in anticipation of upcoming availabilities.
The Lifting and Handling department’s Engineering division was tasked with determining where maintenance for PC 34 would be completed. Crane Engineering Branch Head Cameron Guild took the lead on facilitating work outside of the load test area. “We quickly realized that we had to work in-place and got to work reviewing the Navy’s governing load test requirements and provided supplemental engineering instructions to complete the work," said Guild.
Chief Engineer Steve Perrucci was impressed with the high level of professionalism and attention to detail required to negotiate this intricate work. “Mr. Guild was able to work extremely well with other commands, like NAVFAC, and develop a safe and executable plan to complete the necessary testing without additional impact to the workforce and the current construction of P-381 Multi Mission Dry Dock 1.”
NAVFAC expedited the analysis of rail measurements and was pivotal in providing timely approval to use a section of the work area. Thanks to their quick turn-around, the preparation process was completed in a short time.
Several other divisions played an active role in the success of the Load Test. The Crane Operators and Rigging division provided the expertise needed to perform crane operation tests and checks beforehand. The Quality, Inspection, Testing and Training division delivered ongoing quality assurance and inspection of the crane while also organizing and directing the workflow.
Test Director Matt Marston worked closely with the crane operator in the cab, directing the execution of the load and personnel movements. He remained in constant radio communication with crane inspectors, mechanics and electricians, who monitored equipment at each action site, as well as each of the riggers assigned to support.
“With the help of our Rigger-in-Charge Andrew Nostrom and his team, we were able to pick up the load, while maintaining the weight between the rail, in the midst of the crew working around construction on the shipyard,” said Marston. “Red barrier tape only goes so far, so we really needed to be on our game.”
NCC Representative at PNSY, Joshua Mills, reviewed the test plan in advance and inspected the crane.
“I’m proud of what our workforce does every day,” said Lifting and Handling Deputy Director Phil Boyd. “This is a great example of our team coming together to solve a challenging problem. They really focused on finding a solution that worked for all parties and put together a plan that was able to keep PC 34’s crane maintenance on schedule, while minimizing impact to ongoing availabilities and the P-381 construction. Major kudos to the work team for facilitating this shipyard win.”
“This project really embodies the spirit of what we’re capable of here, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said Lifting and Handling Department Director Ricky Powers. “When all parties are focused on solving the problem, we come to the best solution to safely support the mission. Great collaboration, coupled with our innovative nature, garnered huge gains by returning PC 34 to work on ongoing availabilities, while minimizing impacts. I’m proud of the Lifting and Handling Department’s continued contribution at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2025 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 500721 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Lifting and Handling Department Gets Tested and Prevails, by Alana Demo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
