Liebherr LR 1130.1 Unplugged Drives 162 Sheet Piles in the Netherlands

A battery-powered Liebherr LR 1130.1 unplugged crawler crane is working from a barge on the refurbishment of the Brouwer sluice complex on the Brouwersdam in the Netherlands, where 162 new sheet piles are being installed as part of a major hydraulic infrastructure project.

Dutch contractor De Klerk Werkendam is replacing 50-year-old sheet pile structures that regulate water flow between the North Sea and the Grevelingenmeer.

Each of the new sheet piles measures 23 metres long. Highly compacted sandy ground along the embankment requires a powerful sheet pile vibrator, while the LR 1130.1 provides the working radius needed to position the piles accurately from the floating work platform. The crane is also used to transfer construction materials from shore to the barge.

Once the new piles are installed, the existing structures are removed to prepare the way for the modernised lock system.

De Klerk selected the battery-powered LR 1130.1 unplugged to reduce emissions and noise during the works. Its batteries can be charged from a conventional site electricity supply while the crane continues operating, before switching to battery power simply by disconnecting the cable.

Liebherr says lifting performance and operating range remain identical whether the machine is connected to the grid, working from battery power or compared with the equivalent diesel-powered model.

The work pontoon also uses electric propulsion and electric spud piles, combined with battery storage and solar panels. When shore power is available, almost the entire operation can therefore run locally emission-free, with only the hydraulic power unit for the sheet pile vibrator remaining diesel-powered.

Following its experience on the Brouwersdam project, De Klerk Werkendam plans to introduce further electric cranes into its fleet.