Cranes are indispensable in many industrial operations. Offshore cranes are used for installation operations and are an important part of the supply chains of offshore installations. Cranes operate in demanding environmental conditions and are subjected to dynamic wave loads. In addition, cranes are often used for heavy-lift operations. When a crane is in operation, its configuration changes, which makes it even more difficult to determine the effect of the load combination on various components of the crane.

Application of digital twins for condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and life-cycle management can be a reasonable solution. This is because, using data from only a few sensors, digital twins can provide a real-time 'view' of not only the stresses in the entire structure, but also the loads in individual components (bearings, shafts, cables etc..). Such data can be recorded and stored throughout the life-time of the machine. This is a cost-efficient solution since no additional physical instrumentation is needed.