Hoisting crane, slew bearing, slew bearing assembly method, slew bearing maintenance method and vessel

Abstract

A slew bearing including a stationary bearing ring to be fixed to a base, and a moveable bearing ring which is to be fixed to a moveable object and which is concentric with the stationary bearing ring, the stationary bearing ring and moveable bearing ring being configured to enable rotation of the moveable bearing ring relative to the stationary bearing ring, wherein the moveable bearing ring comprises a top ring member, a bottom ring member, and a middle ring member in between the top and bottom ring member, the top, middle and bottom ring members each being formed by a plurality of ring segments wherein vertical joints between ring segments of adjacent ring members are not aligned to each other, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member comprise a plurality of holes distributed about the circumference of the moveable ring, respectively, wherein the top, middle and bottom ring member are connected to each other by a plurality of bolts received in the corresponding holes of the moveable ring member, and wherein at least one hole in the middle ring member and a corresponding hole in the top ring member and/or a corresponding hole in the bottom ring member are provided with a tubular alignment member having an outer diameter equal to the corresponding holes, an inner diameter allowing to receive a bolt, and a length large enough to extend from the middle ring member to the top ring member and/or the bottom ring member, respectively.