About the Author


My name is Richard Krabbendam. I have worked more than 22 years as

Heavy Lift Specialist with Jumbo Shipping, a Rotterdam based Heavy Lift
Shipping Company and market leader in the field of heavy transport over
seas. Since I retired from Jumbo in 2011, I have entered a new phase of my
working career, and keep myself busy in transferring my experience and know
how by means of Seminars/Masterclasses “Heavy Transport & Lifting”
focused on Land based activities. In addition, I work as Free Lance Consultant
for the Heavy Transport, Lifting, Shipping and Offshore Industry.



I started my career 43 years ago after my study at the University of
Technology in Delft as a mechanical engineer. In 1973, I started working with
Big Lift in Dordrecht. In 1979 we booked a large contract with Aramco in
Dahran, Saudi Arabia for all transport and lifting work for the newly to be
constructed NGL Facilities in Yanbu, at the Red Sea. This project involved the transport and lifting
work of all Petrochemical columns up to a max. weight of 748 Ton. Thereafter we continued with all
transport work for Aramco in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This contract was executed by
the newly founded joint venture Alatas-Big Lift.


End 1979 Big Lift was taken over by Mammoet Transport and 6 months later, I founded together
with a good friend and colleague of mine Joop Roodenburg the Engineering Consultancy firm
ITREC. ITREC stands for International Transport & Rigging Engineering Consultants and in those
days, I worked a great deal for Van Seumeren as heavy lift transport- and lifting specialist. The first
great success was booked with the contract for the expansion of the Esso Flexicoker project in the
Europoort, near Rotterdam. After 7 years of hard work, I decided to change my career again from
joint owner/director of ITREC, and go back to the heavy lift transport- and lifting branch as employee
and started working for an old client of mine: Van Seumeren. ITREC then merged with Huisman,
specialist in the design and construction of mast cranes, offshore pipe lay systems and amusement park rides.



After 2 years working with van Seumeren with great pleasure, whereby we both have learned a
lot from each other, Jumbo Shipping asked me in 1989 to join them and set up a so called Jumbo
Land department, part of Jumbo Logistics, who takes care of the transport of heavy lifts from the
vessel up to foundation. I was responsible for the organization and execution of complex lifting- and
transport projects. Particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, but also Argentina, Denmark,
Venezuela, USA, India and many other countries were part of my work area.


I wrote more then 50 articles on Heavy Transport & Lifting, which were published in the trade
magazine: “International Cranes” and “Heavy Lift Project Forwarding International” and to which you
can subscribe free of charge via my website: www.heavyliftspecialist.com/subscribe-to-articles-and-updates/

In 2001, I was asked to use my knowledge and experience to start a new activity within Jumbo:
the present Jumbo Offshore. Because of the planned new building vessels, with delivery from
2004-2009, Jumbo wanted to develop new activities.That became Jumbo Offshore, whereby the
shipment and installation of offshore structures are combined and can be executed by one and the
same Heavy Lift Vessel (the so-called J-Class) under the motto: LIFT, SHIP, INSTALL- ALL IN ONE GO.

In order to improve Safety in the Transport, Shipping and Lifting Industry, I started organizing
Seminars and courses in 2008, in which I transfer my experience and “know how” to others in the
Industry. This book is a collection of all 12 presentations, of the two day Seminar/Masterclass “Heavy
Transport, Lifting and Shipping” and focuses on the basic principles which should be applied. The Seminar/
Master Class has been presented up till now 80 times in 22 countries to more then 1900 participants. It does
also include a new Chapter on Heavy Lift Shipping and Optional on Offshore Lifting & Installation
Techniques.


I trust, this book and Seminar/Masterclass will assist you in developing you in your future career.
It can be of great help when you have learned the basic principles of Handling Heavy Lifts Safely.

Finally, I want to thank all those of you, who have made pictures available to me and especially my
wife Tonnie for her patience and support, while I was preparing this course.

Richard L.Krabbendam
Heavy Lift Specialist


Fifth Print: Jan. 2015