Liebherr Continuously Advances Electric Drives for Port Cranes

Liebherr Continuously Advances Electric Drives for Port Cranes. Liebherr meets this development with suitable drive types that are optimally tailored to the different requirements on site.

(Rostock) Liebherr, the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile harbor cranes, is further advancing the development for sustainable port operations. With over 2,000 produced mobile harbor cranes and around 1,600 currently deployed units in more than 130 countries, Liebherr is a pioneer of electric drive technologies in port handling – and has been continuously developing these for decades.

The introduction of electrically operated mobile harbor cranes in key regions underscores the growing importance of sustainable drive models and strengthens Liebherr’s role as a reliable partner in the industry. India is leading in the adoption, closely followed by Turkey. In Europe, the Netherlands, France, and Poland show a steady demand. The United States and the United Kingdom are also increasingly relying on electric drive technology. Between 2019 and 2025, Liebherr expects a 400% increase in its electrically driven mobile harbor cranes. This significant growth highlights the clear movement within the industry towards the use of more sustainable technologies in port operations.

“Our customers have been benefiting from the offering of electric drives in our product range for over two decades,” says Franz Findel, product manager at Liebherr-Rostock GmbH. “In addition to significantly reducing CO₂ emissions and noise levels, electric drives require minimal consumables and have fewer moving parts, which greatly reduces maintenance efforts and associated costs. These advantages directly contribute to improved overall efficiency and operational reliability without compromising speed or lifting capacity.”

Retrofitting Meets the Present

The Liebherr drive portfolio continuously evolves with the different infrastructural and regulatory conditions in global port environments. This means that the electric drive is not only an option when building a new crane but can also be retrofitted. Cranes that have reliably served for years can be converted from diesel to electric drive with the support of the global Liebherr customer service network.

In this way, port operators respond not only to changing conditions such as government funding programs or the expansion of infrastructure in ports but also modernize their machines to ensure successful operations for many years – always with a focus on efficiency.

Future-Proof Solutions for Efficient Operations

In heavy-duty operations, cranes often have idle times when no load is being moved. In these moments, an electric drive offers a significantly more sustainable solution. While a diesel engine still emits about 24 kg of CO₂ per hour even when idling, the electric drive consumes no additional energy during these pauses. When the crane is powered by renewable energies, the environmental benefits are even greater – handling at the quay with an electric Liebherr mobile harbor crane can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 100 kg per hour compared to a diesel-powered mobile harbor crane.

In addition to environmental benefits, the electric drive also offers economic and operational advantages. Many countries provide attractive subsidies for the adoption of alternative energy technologies and support the industry in achieving national CO₂ targets. Furthermore, electric drives require less maintenance than their diesel counterparts – oil changes, fluid checks, and filter replacements are eliminated. This not only lowers operating costs but also simplifies maintenance routines, making the electric drive a suitable choice for efficient and responsible port operations.

Photo: © Liebherr