Used MPP and Heavy-Lift Vessel Crane Inspection

A used multipurpose vessel may be advertised with two cargo cranes and an impressive combined lifting capacity. Before relying on that figure, a buyer needs to establish what each crane can lift at the required radius, whether the documented arrangement supports tandem operation, and what the inspection records say about its present condition. A capacity figure in a sales sheet is the beginning of that review.

This guide covers used MPP and heavy-lift vessel crane inspection before purchase: equipment identification, load-test evidence, visible defects and repair verification. For vessel selection and the wider acquisition process, use our MPP vessel buying guide, heavy-lift vessel buying guide and pre-purchase condition survey guide.

1. Match each crane to its records and intended work

Build a crane-by-crane equipment list before the visit. Record the ship’s identification, crane position, maker, model, serial number, installation history and available load charts. Use those identifiers in photographs, certificates, service reports and the defect list. A certificate for one crane should not become an assurance about both.

Ask for the lifting-appliance register, certificates of test and thorough examination, operating and maintenance manuals, service history, wire-rope replacement records, accident reports and outstanding class or statutory findings where relevant. Include replacement components and modifications: the equipment now fitted may differ from the original specification.

Describe the work the buyer expects the vessel to perform. Cargo weight, lifting points, required outreach and the intended port or operating environment give the specialist a useful basis for reviewing suitability. Keep the vessel’s cargo arrangement and stability assessment within that wider technical review.

2. Verify SWL, working radius and tandem capability

Safe working load (SWL) must be read with the applicable configuration and operating limits. Ask the specialist to reconcile the crane’s markings with its load chart and documentation, including radius, boom arrangement, reeving and any stated restrictions. A crane’s maximum advertised capacity may not be available at the outreach needed to reach the quay or cargo position.

For example, a listing saying “2 × 100 tonnes” does not establish that the vessel can safely lift a particular 200-tonne cargo unit. This is a hypothetical example, not a capacity calculation. A proposed tandem lift needs its own documented arrangement and assessment.

• Combined operation: obtain the maker’s or approved documentation for tandem use and any restrictions on coordination or load sharing.
• Rigging: establish the proposed lifting beams, slings and attachments, their identification and the relevant capacity evidence.
• Total lifted weight: have the lift planner account for the cargo and the applicable lifting accessories under the equipment’s rating convention.
• Ship condition: confirm that stability, ballast arrangements and operating limits can be addressed for the intended lift.

Do not improvise a tandem demonstration during a sales inspection. Ask an appropriately qualified lifting specialist to identify what the records establish and what still requires engineering or operational planning.

3. Check the 2026 SOLAS position for this vessel

SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13 entered into force on 1 January 2026. For applicable appliances installed before that date, compliance is linked to the first relevant renewal survey on or after 1 January 2026. Valid earlier certificates under an international instrument acceptable to the flag Administration may provide compliance evidence. Lloyd’s Register’s Class News 12/2025 explains this transition and the verification of SWL markings, certification, loose gear and manuals.

For an acquisition, request the applicable survey date and evidence of the vessel’s compliance status. Ask the recognised organisation to confirm any remaining action, rather than inferring compliance from the ship’s age or a certificate’s cover page. This is particularly useful where cranes have been replaced or modified.

Scope and flag implementation matter. ClassNK’s lifting-appliance guidance publishes flag-specific information and identifies matters decided by Administrations. Some equipment and vessel applications fall outside this regulation’s scope. Confirm the actual vessel and equipment case before describing a finding as a statutory deficiency.

4. Read the test report beyond the word “passed”

A functional demonstration, a load test and a thorough examination provide different evidence. An unloaded crane moving smoothly can show some operating functions; it does not establish rated lifting performance. A load-test certificate describes the recorded test, while the accompanying examination and subsequent maintenance history help the adviser assess the equipment’s condition.

Ask for a traceable evidence pack showing:

1. The vessel and crane identifiers, date, location and attending competent person’s details.
2. The test arrangement, recorded loads, radii and configurations covered.
3. The method of establishing the test load and relevant measurement records.
4. The examination findings, acceptance basis, restrictions and unresolved defects.
5. Changes, repairs, damage or extended inactivity since the recorded test.

These are acquisition-review requests, not a prescribed certificate template. Where the report is intended to satisfy statutory or class requirements, confirm the required procedure and attendance before commissioning it.

The IMO lifting-appliance guidelines, reproduced in ClassNK TEC-1340, distinguish load testing, thorough examination, inspection and operational testing. They also address retesting after major repairs or alterations and periodic testing. Have the competent person establish what is due for the installed equipment; avoid using a generic test percentage or an improvised proof load.

A recent test is useful evidence, but ask whether it predates a rope replacement, control-system change or structural repair. Missing records represent an uncertainty to resolve; they do not by themselves prove that the crane has failed.

5. Map equipment defects and inspection limitations

Arrange a specialist examination with the seller’s agreement and safe access provided by the vessel. Ask the report to separate observed defects, measurements needed and inaccessible components. Photographs should identify the crane and component rather than presenting a collection of unlocated close-ups.

• Wire ropes and terminations: record visible deterioration, damage and replacement history; have the specialist apply the relevant inspection and discard criteria to the rope and installed system.
• Hooks, blocks and sheaves: examine accessible condition and identification, and flag wear or damage requiring measurement.
• Hoisting machinery and brakes: review service records and arrange the appropriate functional checks under the approved procedure.
• Hydraulics: map leaks, hose deterioration and reported pressure or temperature problems; distinguish a visible leak from a diagnosis of its cause.
• Controls and protective devices: check reported faults, alarms and restrictions, with specialist verification of limit and overload protection as applicable.
• Boom, pedestal and supporting structure: identify corrosion, deformation, suspicious welds and prior repairs requiring further investigation.
• Slewing arrangement: review bearing and fastener maintenance, reported abnormal behaviour and any maker-specified measurements still needed.

A fresh coating can make the crane look well maintained without answering questions about concealed corrosion or previous repairs. Where an area raises concern, agree further examination, measurements or non-destructive testing with the specialist. Visual inspection alone cannot establish the condition of every internal component.

6. Make any demonstration an agreed technical exercise

Before attending, confirm what can safely be operated and which checks need a later visit. Terminal restrictions, cargo operations, weather and unavailable test equipment can limit the inspection. Keep those exclusions visible in the report and assign a way to resolve each material question.

Operation should remain with authorised personnel following the installed equipment’s instructions and the vessel’s controls. The buyer should not request bypassed protective devices, stand beneath a suspended load or enter moving machinery’s working area to obtain evidence. Any formal load test needs a planned arrangement, competent supervision and the required attendance.

Record the actual demonstration: crane identity, operating condition, functions covered, observations and omitted checks. A short video can supplement the report, but should not replace the technical findings or certificate.

7. Link repair scope, cost and verification before delivery

Turn each material finding into an action record: component, observed condition, proposed investigation or repair, responsible party, completion date and acceptance evidence. This avoids treating “cranes serviced” as a complete response to several different defects.

Request vessel-specific quotations. Rope renewal, hydraulic repairs, brake work, slewing-bearing work and structural repairs can require different parts, access, lifting support and specialist attendance. Ask about parts availability, expected downtime and whether further class, maker or statutory involvement is needed. A flat repair allowance per crane is a weak budget where the defect scope remains uncertain.

Separate repair completion from acceptance. Obtain the contractor’s work report, replacement-part details and the specialist’s follow-up findings. Confirm which operational checks, load tests or examinations are required after the actual work. Retain the connection between the original defect and the evidence closing it out.

Consider the commercial effect of a restricted or unavailable crane against the intended trade: the vessel may lose a cargo option or require shore assistance. Have the broker and legal adviser relate outstanding findings to the agreed transaction terms. An inspection finding does not automatically create a right to a price reduction or rejection.

Buyer’s crane evidence checklist

• Each crane identified and matched to its records.
• SWL, radius and configuration checked against the intended cargo work.
• Tandem capability supported by documentation where required.
• Applicable 2026 SOLAS status and relevant survey date confirmed.
• Test and examination evidence reviewed alongside later changes.
• Visible defects and inaccessible components separately recorded.
• Repair quotations include access, parts, downtime and verification.
• Material outstanding questions assigned before the delivery decision.

If you are still selecting candidates, browse our multipurpose vessels for sale and heavy-lift vessels for sale. Send the vessel particulars, intended cargo profile and available crane records with your enquiry so the equipment questions can be addressed early in the acquisition review.