Crane ship - Kuransen

A ship equipped with a large crane, specialized in transporting heavy loads. As the English term "floating crane" suggests, it is more appropriate to call it a crane that can move on the sea than a ship. The hull is a flat rectangular box, and is equipped with a crane that is as tall as the length of the ship. There are two types: towed types, which are pulled by a tugboat, and self-propelled types, which run on a propulsion engine. They are widely used to transport and install caissons, which form the foundations of breakwaters and bridge girders, during reclamation and construction of ports. They are also used to lift and transport various heavy loads, such as loading large heavy loads onto cargo ships and ships under construction, moving small completed ships and repair ships, and moving sunken ships. In Japan, there are crane ships with a maximum lifting capacity of 3,000 tons.

[Morita Tomoharu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大型のクレーンを備え、大重量物を専門に運ぶ船。英語でfloating craneすなわち「浮きクレーン」とよぶように、船というより海上を移動できるクレーンというほうがふさわしい。船体は平たい長方形の箱形で、船の長さほどの高さをもつクレーンが装備されている。引き船に引かれて移動する曳航(えいこう)式と、推進機関で航走する自航式がある。港湾の埋立てや建設に際し、防波堤や橋桁(はしげた)の基礎となるケーソン（潜函(せんかん)）の運搬、設置に広く用いられている。そのほか、貨物船や建造中の船への大型重量物の積み込み、小型の完成船や修理船の移動、沈没船の移動など各種重量物の吊(つ)り上げ、運搬に使用される。日本には最大3000トンの吊り上げ能力をもつクレーン船がある。

［森田知治］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例