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Jul 7, 2021 at 4:33 PMSince the start of production in 2005, Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH has manufactured and delivered well over 1,000 maritime cranes. The numerous mobile harbor, ship, and offshore cranes are now in operation on all continents in over 100 countries. Now, the 1,300th crane has left the Rostock factory premises, destined for Ghana.
(Rostock) Slowly, the ship cranes of the heavy-lift vessel “BBC-Russia” lift the new machine over the quay edge. The LHM 550 is one of two Liebherr mobile harbor cranes that will begin their journey to Ghana, 5,500 km away, in just a few hours. With the new equipment, the West African port of Tema is expanding its crane fleet for container handling. For the port operator Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), this is already the eighth mobile harbor crane from Rostock. “We have a long-standing partnership with Liebherr. We are thrilled with both the products and the Liebherr service. It is, not least, the individual consulting and quick delivery that have led to our expansion and an increase in our business,” says Ing. Stephen Kwamina Owiah, Port Logistics Manager GPHA.
Ideal conditions in Rostock
The berths adjacent to the Liebherr plant in the Rostock overseas port are accessible for ships with a draft of up to 13 meters without shipping obstacles such as locks or bridges. The direct connection of the plant to the Baltic Sea allows the cranes to be loaded fully assembled and operational. Thus, the two devices on the BBC-Russia will be ready for use at the destination port in no time.
“The Rostock overseas port offers us ideal conditions for shipping the often large-sized equipment. By now, we load 60-65 percent of the cranes in fully assembled condition,” emphasizes Gregor Levold, Shipping Manager of Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH.
When shipping the cranes, an experienced team relies on various loading options. For example, the devices can drive on board corresponding specialized ships using the Roll on/Roll off method (RoRo). Today’s loading on the BBC-Russia takes place using the Lift on/Lift off method (LoLo). The abbreviation LoLo refers to ship transports where the cargo is lifted onto the ship using onboard cranes. However, shipping by road also offers advantages for many customers due to the plant’s proximity to the German highway network.
World market leader in mobile harbor cranes
But it is not only the good infrastructural connection that ensures the success of Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH. For over 10 years, Liebherr has held the world market leadership in mobile harbor cranes. The high customer satisfaction is partly due to the global customer service, which also takes care of the equipment and thus the supply of the population through the ports even in times of crisis. Despite the effects of the Corona pandemic and the associated global lockdown, Liebherr mobile harbor cranes were continuously in operation in ports worldwide.
“Over 1,000 colleagues are daily close to our customers in our numerous service companies around the world. Together, we continuously develop our cranes further,” says Andreas Müller, Sales Manager for mobile harbor cranes at Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH.
Innovations as a constant companion
In addition to the global customer service network, it is primarily the continuous technical development of the cranes and assistance systems that provides Liebherr’s customers with a decisive advantage. The series of mobile harbor cranes can also be operated in the future with the fossil-free HVO 100 diesel, which causes up to 90% less emissions and is based on renewable raw materials. In addition, a fundamentally revised hybrid drive for the mobile harbor crane will soon be introduced, allowing the user to switch between two different modes. The Boost mode provides extra power for faster handling, while the Eco mode significantly reduces fuel consumption. The forward-looking hybrid drive offers the user a high degree of flexibility. Depending on the specific case, the innovative system can be individually adjusted, thus providing optimal performance in every situation.
Photo: © Liebherr MCCtec
