A load guiding arrangement realized for mounting to a crane, which load guiding arrangement comprises a number of load guides, wherein a load guide comprises a guide wire extending from a lower level of the crane to an upper level of the crane; a bridging connector realized to bridge a gap between the guide wire and a control wire, which bridging connector is free to travel along the guide wire and the control wire according to a vertical displacement of a load; and a control wire extending from a lower level of the crane, through the bridging connector to a lifting connector for connecting to the load (4), and through the bridging connector again to an upper level of the crane is provided.

A rotating tower crane for erecting a wind turbine, having a tower and a tower substructure, which is connected to the tower and is intended for supporting the tower, wherein the tower substructure has a supporting cross frame, which has three or more, preferably four, legs, extending from the tower. It is proposed that each leg has fastened on it, on the ground side, a load-distributor plate, which is not connected to the foundation, wherein the load-distributor plates together form the ballast of the tower.

A crane system having a gas turbine that has a manhole on the outer housing thereof, the manhole being designed to open up a maintenance access to hot gas parts of the gas turbine in the open state of the manhole, which is provided with a fastening section; the crane system further has a hoisting mechanism that includes a mating fastening section which is connected to the fastening section of the manhole in such a way that the hoisting mechanism introduces weights that same has to lift into the outer housing of the gas turbine.

A crane system having a gas turbine that has a manhole on the outer housing thereof, the manhole being designed to open up a maintenance access to hot gas parts of the gas turbine in the open state of the manhole, which is provided with a fastening section; the crane system further has a hoisting mechanism that includes a mating fastening section which is connected to the fastening section of the manhole in such a way that the hoisting mechanism introduces weights that same has to lift into the outer housing of the gas turbine.

A crane capable of handling major components during installation or servicing of wind turbines includes a main body on which is mounted a crane arm, and a lifting point at or near an upper end of the main body to which a hoisting cable assembly is joined or around which a lifting cable is passed and which carries a major part of the crane weight as it is hoisted up a tower of the wind turbine, wherein the lifting point is laterally adjustable relative to the main body in a direction which is generally towards or away from the tower when in its lifting orientation in order to allow control of the crane balance.

The invention provides a method for handling a load (2) comprising a wind turbine component (202), the method comprising,—while a crane (1) is supported by a supporting element (G), arranging a control arrangement (501, 502), which is at least partly elongated and flexible, so as to extend, while the load (2) is lifted in a suspended manner with the crane (1), from the load (2) to an actuator (511, 512), located on the supporting element (G), at a distance from the crane (1),—the actuator (511, 512) controlling the orientation of the load (2) by means of the control arrangement (501, 502),—wherein the control arrangement (501, 502) is extended, during the load orientation control, via a redirection device (531, 532) which is connected to the supporting element (G).

A connector is provided for connecting a first crane and a second crane, each crane having a boom, the connector includes a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm, the first connecting arm building the top of the boom of the first crane, the second connecting arm building the top of the boom of the second crane, the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm being hinged together about only one common pivotal axis within a common pivotal plane, and the booms of the first and the second cranes are linked up in motion in a common luffing plane, and the luffing plane is identical to the pivotal plane.

A connector is provided for connecting a first crane and a second crane, each crane having a boom, the connector includes a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm, the first connecting arm building the top of the boom of the first crane, the second connecting arm building the top of the boom of the second crane, the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm being hinged together about only one common pivotal axis within a common pivotal plane, and the booms of the first and the second cranes are linked up in motion in a common luffing plane, and the luffing plane is identical to the pivotal plane.

An all-weather maintenance system for an offshore wind turbine maintenance program includes a maintenance capsule for transporting tools, parts and maintenance personnel to and from respective wind turbine towers, a maintenance vessel with a capsule support apparatus for transporting capsules supported on board by the capsule support apparatus to and from respective wind turbine towers, and a crane assembly with a trolley for transporting capsules between the respective wind turbine towers and the maintenance vessel.

Systems and methods for operating a hoist and hook assembly may determine a position of a target using a position sensor. A hook assembly may be positioned in response to the position of the target as detected by the position sensor. Positioning the hook assembly may include articulating a boom coupled to a hoist, using one or more local thrust sources on the hook assembly, and/or moving an airframe relative to the position of the target.