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CRANES in Action
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Sarens completed 382 heavy lifts and approximately 740 SPMT transport operations at Portsmouth Marine Terminal. SPMTs moved monopiles and other major structural components for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.
CRANES in Action
Heavy Lifting for Offshore Wind
Moving the massive components of an offshore wind farm requires careful coordination between port operations, heavy transport, and lifting crews. At the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, Sarens handled the movement and staging of key components at Portsmouth Marine Terminal, completing its logistics work in early April 2026.
The company began work at the terminal in 2023, handling 176 monopiles and 176 transition pieces, along with pin piles, templates, and the topsides of three offshore substations. Each substation topside weighed approximately 4,000 tons.
Sarens used self-propelled modular transporters( SPMTs) to move the components through the terminal and carry out load-in and load-out operations. Its engineering team also developed a support system for the monopiles that improved access to individual pieces while addressing space constraints and ground pressure requirements.
By the end of 2025, Sarens had completed transport operations for all monopiles, templates, and pin piles. Across the project, the team performed approximately 740 transport operations using SPMTs and 382 heavy lifts with high-capacity cranes, including a CC8800 crawler crane.
Scheduling added another layer of complexity. Environmental regulations required offshore installation work involving the monopiles to pause between October 31 and May 1 to protect migrating whales. Coordination between terminal crews and offshore teams helped the project complete installations one month ahead of the critical deadline, keeping work on schedule despite the seasonal restrictions.
“ We are honored to participate in a project as demanding yet socially significant as this offshore wind farm,” said Andrew Hefft, Sarens’ project manager.“ We appreciate the trust placed in our team and the technology we have employed on this project by Virginia International Terminals, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue collaborating together for many years to come.”
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is expected to become operational in late 2026. Once complete, it is projected to supply electricity to more than 660,000 households, with the potential to serve up to 900,000 during peak demand periods. The project is also expected to prevent approximately five million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, underscoring the scale of the infrastructure and logistics work required to bring the offshore wind farm online.
PEOPLE
• Sims Crane & Equipment Co. has appointed Srdjan Vukajlovic as chief commercial officer, effective October 5.
Vukajlovic
In the role, Vukajlovic will lead the company’ s sales division, with responsibilities including identifying market opportunities, advancing commercial strategy, and developing the company’ s approach to customer and revenue growth.
Vukajlovic brings more than 17 years of experience in commercial strategy, executive leadership, operations, and financial management. According to Sims, his background includes helping organizations identify growth opportunities, strengthen business performance, and translate commercial priorities into measurable results.
His experience also includes developing scalable business processes, navigating organizational change, and building relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
As chief commercial officer, Vukajlovic will focus on the company’ s sales organization, market expansion, and customer development efforts.
• Sims Crane & Equipment Co. Chief Financial Officer Katie MacGillivary has been named a 2026 Tampa Bay Titan 100 honoree. The Titan 100 program recognizes 100 Tampa Bay executives for leadership and vision in their industries.
MacGillivary
The 2026 honorees and their companies collectively generate more than $ 10 billion in annual revenue and employ more than 60,000 people across the region and beyond.
MacGillivary has 25 years of financial leadership experience, including work involving organizational growth, acquisitions, and strategic transactions. Her career includes leading numerous acquisitions, multiple exit processes, and an initial public offering across the transportation, financing, logistics, and energy industries.
MacGillivary was also named CFO of the Year in 2022 by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She is a certified public accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida and a bachelor’ s degree in accounting from the University of Central Florida. She is a member of the Young Men’ s Service League.
MacGillivary and the other 2026 Tampa Bay Titan 100 honorees were recognized at the Titan 100 awards
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November 2026 • www. cranehotline. com