Mammoet PTC140-DS

The Mammoet PTC140-DS is one of the largest and most advanced heavy lift ring cranes in the world, designed for ultra-heavy, high-reach lifting tasks in the petrochemical, offshore, and power sectors. Originally introduced as the PTC120-DS in June 2009, it was later upgraded and renamed as the PTC140-DS, representing a further refinement in design, capacity, and versatility for the global heavy lifting market.

This crane belongs to Mammoet’s Platform Twin-ring Containerised (PTC) crane series and delivers an astonishing lifting capacity of 3,000 tonnes at a 48-metre radius, 2,000 tonnes at 53 metres, and 1,000 tonnes at nearly 100 metres. The main boom extends up to 130 metres, while the jib reaches 43 metres, allowing the crane to achieve hook heights previously unattainable by conventional lifting methods. It boasts a 100,000+ tonne-metre load moment, rivaling the world’s most powerful lifting equipment.

One of the PTC140-DS’s most impressive features is its footprint — it sits on a massive 45-metre diameter ring platform, providing the stability required for lifting massive loads at extreme radii. Unlike strand-jack-based systems, the PTC crane series — including the 140-DS — offers true crane-like features, such as 360-degree slewing, self-erecting boom capability, and conventional hoisting systems, making it significantly faster and more adaptable for real-world construction and modular installation projects.

The crane is fully self-erecting, using its own auxiliary lifting gear to raise and install the boom components, reducing reliance on additional cranes. The back mast measures 60 metres and is designed to handle wind speeds up to 150 mph in out-of-service conditions — a critical safety feature for offshore and exposed sites.

Hoisting performance is another key strength of the PTC140-DS. It is equipped with:

A primary winch that can lift up to 3,200 tonnes at a speed of 2 metres/minute.

A smaller “runner” winch that can lift up to 250 tonnes at 5 metres/minute, ideal for installing lighter components or making precision adjustments.

Slewing is achieved using a roller-based mechanism that allows for full 360° rotation — a full turn takes around 30 minutes, which is impressively fast for a crane of this size. The system can also be modified to run on straight tracks, enabling linear repositioning across long sites like ports or fabrication yards.

From a structural standpoint, the PTC140-DS represents a step change in efficiency and capability over Mammoet’s earlier MSG cranes and significantly outperforms them in lifting charts, reach, and setup speed. Even when compared to competitor models such as ALE’s AL.SK90, AL.SK120, and AL.SK190, the PTC140-DS maintains a competitive edge with its superior crane-style control systems and optimized configuration time.

The modular design of the crane also means it can be broken down into containerized units, simplifying logistics and shipping for global deployment. The system’s performance is visualized in Mammoet’s preliminary configuration diagrams (see image), illustrating the flexibility and scale of the boom/jib combinations.

Whether deployed for lifting nuclear reactor domes, offshore modules, or prefabricated industrial structures, the PTC140-DS is engineered for high-speed, high-efficiency operations with minimal site impact and maximum precision.