Two Liebherr ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes were recently assembled at the Port of Valencia, one of the busiest seaports in the Mediterranean, with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. Delivered in large, preassembled components from the Port of Fenit, Ireland, the cranes were designed for quick integration on site, allowing port activity to continue uninterrupted.
The offloading process saw components such as the 69.6m main beam and 76.3m derrick boom placed onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) directly from the delivery vessel. Nearly 90 axle lines of SPMTs were used to safely transport parts across the site to a designated assembly zone, away from active operations.
Assembly of the first crane involved various types of lifting equipment, including 80t to 250t telescopic cranes and two 600t crawler cranes. Tandem lifts were conducted to raise and position the main frame sections onto bogies. Cherry pickers and forklifts also supported the complex assembly process.
Engineers from Mammoet and Liebherr coordinated with multiple subcontractors to complete all mechanical and electrical connections. Once both cranes were fully assembled, they were transported 600 meters to the quayside using SPMTs equipped with custom interfacing transport beams, designed to distribute the load evenly and ensure crane stability during movement.
“The components were moved away from the quay immediately upon delivery to avoid interrupting operations. Installation was equally swift,” said Javier de Pablo Arenzana, Sales Manager at Mammoet. “We’ve partnered with Liebherr on many projects, and they trust our expertise for this type of work.”
