Liebherr has recently delivered new cranes to several Latin American countries, including Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Mexico and Bahamas, reports the company.
In Puerto Rico, Liebherr Container Cranes has completed delivery of 3 new STS container cranes to Crowley Maritime’s Isla Grande Terminal at the Port of San Juan. The units with an outreach of 39.62m, a span of 30.48m and a back reach of 15.54m were shipped fully erect from Ireland, where they were assembled at Cork Dockyard facility. The machines feature a lift height over rail of 35m and a safe working load of 65 tonnes under twin lift spreader.
Gerry Bunyan, Sales and Marketing Manager at Liebherr Container Cranes, said: “This is our first order to the island of Puerto Rico and we are happy to play a part in helping to improve the shipping services to the people on the island. The cranes were designed and manufactured in our Irish facility, where we have been making container cranes since the 1960s, and incorporate the latest technology including semi-automatic mode which maximises the efficiency of container handling.”
MHC deliveries
In Jamaica, Liebherr Maritime Cranes has delivered a new mobile harbour crane (MHC) of LHM 600 type in high-rise version for Kingston Wharves Limited’s multipurpose terminal at the Port of Kingston. Being the biggest crane operated in the Caribbean, it is equipped with an elongated tower extension of 12m to increase safety thanks to a higher position of the tower cabin of 37m. The King of the Caribbean has a maximum outreach of 58m and is able to handle fully loaded containers in the 19th container row across a ship. The new LHM joined an LHM 550 high-rise version unit already in operation at the terminal.
In Mexico, Liebherr is currently assembling 2 new MHCs of LHM 420 type in Altamira for the company Bredero Shaw International B.V. The units, which feature a 48m boom and a maximum lifting capacity of up to 124 tonnes, will also be equipped with a special pipe handling attachment and a camera system installed on the attachment to improve sight on the load.
Friend in Need
Furthermore, Liebherr Maritime Cranes delivered two MHCs to Freeport Container Port at the Bahamas, which was severely hit by the hurricane Matthew in October 2016. A lot of port and yard machinery was extensively damaged by the category 4 hurricane, including two STS cranes that were toppled backwards.
Hutchison Port Holdings, the operator of Freeport Container Port, was looking for a quick and uncomplicated bridge over solution until new STS cranes are ready for operation.
Being a well-established partner of HPH, Liebherr has provided LHM 550 and LHM 600 in order to keep their business going. The delivery of the two cranes was managed in just 4 weeks’ time and their installation took only one extra week, enabling the terminal resume its vessel operations. A Liebherr spokesperson comments: “They are very happy with the performance of the cranes. We demonstrated Freeport Container Port/Hutchison that we are able to help when they needed us and that we are the right one to ask when it comes to nearly impossible challenges.”