On The Job
A do-it-all machine for a Florida shipyard
About 40 minutes from St. Augustine, a Link-Belt Cranes 100-ton 100|RT rough terrain crane is a mainstay at St. Johns Shipbuilding in Palatka, Florida. Specializing in shipbuilding and marine repair of aluminum and steel vessels such as supply boats, barges and ferries, St. Johns operates an 850-ton dry dock, a 400-foot launch basin and two rail launch systems.
The addition of the 100|RT to the St. Johns fleet has been a gamechanger, according to operator Robert “Bert” Thorn, assisting daily with heavy lifts of all kinds across the 98-acre shipyard. He added that the rough terrain crane handles picks involving various fabrication parts, including bulkheads, deck plates and other modules. Additionally, Thorn noted that the 100|RT is easy to maneuver throughout the yard’s confined spaces.
