Lagos — Sarens employed a Liebherr LR 1350-1 LN crawler crane configured to operate with a lifting capacity of 250 tons that was selected for this project due to its lifting capacity, stability, and reliability.
Sulfindo Suralaya Cilegon plant production is mainly based on basic chemicals including caustic soda, EDC, VCM, and PVC, which are used in the manufacture of various industrial chemicals.
Sarens faced a very limited space to operate and the need to move the crane with maximum precision to avoid the infrastructure adjacent to the work area.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting and engineered transport, has completed a heavy lifting operation on behalf of its client SINAR SAMUDERA ABADI, involving the lifting of a process vessel that weights 35 tons and was 30 metres in length during a turnaround task at the SSA Sulfindo
Suralaya Cilegon plant for the installation of new equipment. This facility, located in the
Suralaya–Cilegon industrial zone in Banten province, Indonesia, is part of the Cilegon petrochemical complex, one of Indonesia’s main industrial hubs. Its main activity is the production of basic chlor-alkali chemicals and vinyl derivatives, used in numerous industries such as plastics, water treatment, textiles, paper, and chemicals.
In order to carry out the project in accordance with the most rigorous quality standards, Sarens’ engineering team conducted a preliminary study of the site and ground conditions. The lifting plan, crane positioning, and safety requirements were reviewed in detail to ensure the smooth execution of the plant turnaround activities. Special attention was paid to the confined working environment within the plant and the logistical considerations associated with the installation of the vessel.
After assessing the available space for carrying out the operations, Sarens’ team decided to mobilize a Liebherr LR 1350-1 LN crawler crane to the site. The crane was configured to operate with a lifting capacity of 250 tons, equipped with the boom and counterweight configuration proposed in the lifting plan. The LR 1350-1 LN was selected for this project due to its lifting capacity, stability, and reliability, characteristics that made it particularly suitable for the specific conditions of the workplace and the operational requirements of the project.
Mobilizing the crane to the site required transporting its components from the warehouse using several truck trailers. Furthermore, additional transports were necessary to move the boom sections and counterweights required for the crane configuration. Once all the components arrived at the job site, the crane was assembled and commissioned in approximately one to two days. This phase required careful coordination due to the limited workspace available at the plant during the turnaround period, as well as the presence of surrounding industrial structures.
The main lifting operation involved installing a process vessel, which was hoisted using the crawler crane. Due to the size of the equipment, its weight, and the confined work area, the maneuver required precise coordination between the project team members. Sarens’ team completed the lift smoothly by raising and rotating the vessel to its final installation position, with the direct collaboration of the lift supervisor, crane operator, and rigging team.
The main challenges Sarens faced in undertaking this operation were the limited space in which to operate and the need to move the crane with maximum precision to avoid the infrastructure adjacent to the work area. In addition, detailed monitoring of weather conditions was required to ensure that the work was carried out in suitable circumstances so as not to compromise the safety of the lift operations.
The installation work carried out by Sarens contributes to the renovation of the Sulfindo Suralaya Cilegon plant, whose production is mainly based on basic chemicals including caustic soda, EDC, VCM, and PVC, which are used in the manufacture of various industrial chemicals. The factory has an approximate production capacity of 320,000 tons per year of caustic soda and 380,000 tons per year of EDC.
According to Denny Boy Purba, Sarens Key Account Manager “The project carried out at SSA Sulfindo Suralaya demonstrates Sarens’ ability to perform complex lifting operations in challenging industrial environments. Despite space constraints and the complex logistics inherent in the plant’s industrial environment, the work was successfully completed thanks to detailed planning and effective coordination by the team. We are pleased to support the expansion of the Cilegon business complex and promote Indonesia’s industrial development.
Sarens has extensive international experience in the development and installation of strategically important projects. The company has been recently involved in the Clean Fuel Project works in Thailand, in the expansion of the S-Oil plant in Ulsan, South Korea, in the construction of the Petroperu refinery in Talara (Peru), and in the Skikda refinery in Algeria among others. Sarens was also commissioned by PTSC M&C for the load out of an LQUP jacket weighing more than 4,500 tons in Vietnam that will be dedicated to the extraction of oil and gas in the Bay of Bengal.
