It’s been all hands on deck for Blantyre-based crane business The GGR Group whose compact cranes have been busy preparing one of the world’s largest barges, the AMT Trader at Govan shipyard this week.

Preparations are underway for the enormous AMT Trader barge to carry the first section of the new Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier, built by BAE Systems.

The new aircraft carrier section, which weighs 9000 tonnes and is so big Govan shipyard had to reinforce its tarmac floor, will be slowly transported upon the massive AMT Trader on Sunday 31st July. It will be one of the largest vessels ever to set sail on the Clyde, making a 600 mile journey to Rosyth, Fife where the carrier is being assembled over the upcoming months.

Preparing the deck of the AMT Trader to carry this massive load has been no easy feat. Lucky then that mini crane specialist GGR Group has been on hand to provide a compact ‘Pick and Carry’ crane to assist lifting work on deck. GGR’s G150 pick and carry crane has been busy lifting and laying a pattern of steel grillage blocks, each weighing up to 13 tonnes, along the deck of the 100m long barge.


“The crane has been used to pick, lift and place each grillage block with millimeter precision to ensure their alignment matches the profile of the new aircraft carrier section they are about to carry” comments GGR Group’s Scottish Regional Manager Thomas Rae. “The G150 was chosen for its compact size, high maneuverability and heavy lifting capacity,” he adds.

The impressive aircraft carrier section will be loaded onto the AMT Trader this Sunday by submersing the barge 8 metres under water and ‘skating’ the carrier onto the deck. The AMT is just one of four submersible barges in the world and it will take up to two weeks to secure the aircraft onto the deck ready to set sail down the Clyde on 16th August.

With depots in Glasgow, Manchester and Long Crendon, GGR Group is currently Europe’s leading supplier of compact pick and carry cranes, Unic mini spider cranes, vacuum handling equipment and restricted access lifting machinery, along with a variety of complementary products and services.

Established in 1995, the family-run business employees over 90 people in the UK and 30 dealers across Europe and the United Arab Emirates.

GGR Group consists of seven brands-- UNIC Cranes Europe, GGR Glass, GGR Galizia, GGR AirLift, GGR Cladding, GGR Rail and GGR Gulf. Our mini cranes and lifting equipment have proven invaluable for vast range of industries including marine & shipyards, rail, oil & gas, construction, glazing and more.

To find out more about GGR’s values and product range please visit www.ggrgroup.com

(GK/KMcA)