NAVIGATION THROUGH THE DAM 2 : THE WORLD´S LARGEST SHIP LIFT FOR SMALLER SHIPS (UPTO 3000 TONNES)
Ship lift – An elevator for vessels upto 3000 tonnes
The shiplift, a kind of elevator, can lift vessels of up to 3,000 tonnes, at a fraction of the time to transit the staircase locks.
- The vertical distance traveled is 113 m (371 ft),
- The size of the ship lift’s basin is 120 m × 18 m × 3.5 m (394 ft × 59 ft × 11 ft)
- The ship lift takes 30 to 40 minutes to transit, as opposed to the three to four hours for stepping through the locks
- One complicating factor is that the water level can vary dramatically
- The ship lift must work even if water levels vary by 12 meters (39 ft) on the lower side, and 30 m (98 ft) on the upper side.
- The ship lift’s design uses a helical gear system, to climb or descend a toothed rack.
