A custom-designed Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbor crane has been in operation for the Canaveral Port Authority since beginning of 2019. The special modified machine is the largest mobile harbor crane in the U.S. to handle all types of heavy cargo, including space components. The crane has the heaviest lift capability in all of Florida at up to 154 tonnes plus an outreach of 18-containers across. Furthermore, the machine is equipped with a double layer winch and a special tower extension that allows a maximum lifting height of up to 70 metres.
Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray said the flexibility of a Liebherr mobile harbor crane made it more attractive for Canaveral than a fixed crane. “The current technology in the mobile harbor crane has hydraulics where you can control everything from the cabin, just like you can on a rail mounted gantry, but you have further possibilities. The space industry is landing more vehicles offshore on platforms and bringing them back to the port, so we needed a crane that could lift that kind of cargo. It has to handle both the weight and height of the rocket booster. The new crane can even service ships at the port’s cruise terminal.”
“We are excited to see Canaveral Port Authority use the Liebherr mobile harbor LHM 600 high-rise crane within the space industry,” comments Winston Ziegler, Sr. Sales Manager for Liebherr Maritime Cranes and Reachstacker for the USA.
“We were able to adapt the LHM 600 with the double-layer winch which provides the special lifting height to unload the space components. This crane provides Port Canaveral flexibility for all their upcoming operations including that it is also capable going 18 containers wide. In recent years, the demand for Liebherr mobile harbor cranes in North America has never been as high as of today,” continues Winston Ziegler.