Clark Ádám (crane vessel)


Clark Ádám is a crane vessel, specifically a floating sheerleg, built in 1980 in Budapest, Hungary, by the Hungarian Shipyards and Crane Factory Angyalföld Division. It originally had a lifting capacity of 120 metric tons, gradually raised to 200 tons by 2006, making it one of the largest in lifting capacity on Central European rivers. It is mainly used for building bridges, but is also commissioned to assist salvage operations, as well as to launch hydrofoils. It has rescued several ships; in 2019 it raised the sunken Hableány from the Danube at Budapest. The vessel is named after Scottish engineer Adam Clark.

Characteristics

The floating crane is powered by two Scania DS 14 diesel engines, each of 520 hp. Its fuel tank has a capacity of, which allows for 200 hours of operation. The two engines are mounted on rubber stands to minimize vibration and noise. They each have their own helms, but the second helm is only used to stop the vessel, or when the vessel gets caught on a shoal. Its maximum speed is around. Every ten years the vessel undergoes maintenance and repair in a dry dock in Austria.

History

The vessel was commissioned by the Capital City Council of Budapest to assist the expansion of Árpád Bridge, as the two other floating cranes available at the time were deemed unsuitable. The cost was covered by the Council and the vessel was donated to Bridge-building Company, as the company itself did not have sufficient funding. The final cost of Clark Ádám was 100 million Hungarian forints. It was launched on October 21, 1980. It was also used to build other bridges, like the Pentele Bridge, or the Megyeri Bridge. It is also commissioned to launch hydrofoils.
Clark Ádám is actually the second vessel intended for the Árpád Bridge construction. The first one was only partially built when it was sold to a Syrian company in February 1980.
The floating crane was originally designed with two lifting capacity of 100 and 120 ton metric in 1980. In 1997, Ganz Danubius Vitla improved it to a 150 ton capacity with a new propulsion and later, in 2006, to a 200 ton capacity.

Notable involvements