Albwardy Damen, a specialist shipbuilding and ship repair company in the Middle East, has added a GRT655L to its fleet of Grove rough-terrain cranes used at its facilities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Shara Igor Balin, facility manager at Albwardy Damen, said: “The new GRT655L is a really versatile unit for us. We can lift and turn large sections at shorter radii or install smaller and lighter parts at long distances on ships we have docked. We have other Grove rough-terrain cranes, so we know the build quality and durability are excellent, and the load charts are always strong.”
GRT655L models for the Middle East are manufactured at the Manitowoc plant in Niella Tanaro, Italy. The crane has a 60 t capacity and a five-section, 43 m boom. Thanks to an optional 7.9 m to 13.7 m telescopic boom extension, the GRT655L offers reach of 59.7 m. Other features include a tiltable cab, inverted outrigger jacks, hydraulic disc brakes, load sensing hydraulics and an ECO mode for lower fuel consumption. The crane was supplied by the regional dealer Kanoo Machinery.
“We always get good and consistent service from Kanoo Machinery and there is always the parts availability we need. Training was provided locally by Manitowoc, including simulator training for the operators. Our operators really love the ease of operation of Grove cranes, especially the CCS control system, and they like the fact they get instant support from the dealer’s team in their own language.”
Other Grove rough-terrain models in Albwardy Damen’s fleet include RT530E and RT760E units. The company is a joint venture between UAE-based Albwardy Investment and Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group. Established in 1978, the company employs around 1,100 people at its locations in Sharjah, Dubai and Fujairah.
