Brazil’s largest statue of Christ is being erected using two Liebherr 1220-5.2 mobile cranes.
The statue is currently being erected in Encantado, a town with a population of 22,000 located 145 kilometres northwest of the regional capital of Porto Alegre. At a height of 43 metres, it will be five metres higher than the famous statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro. Crane and heavy haulage contractor Darcy Pacheco used two Liebherr LTM 1220-5.2 mobile cranes to erect the monument.
The span of the arms of the new “Christ the Protector” statue is 36 metres. That makes it eight metres wider than the “Christ the Redeemer” statue in Rio de Janeiro, which has now reached the grand old age of 90. An elevator will transport visitors inside the figure to a viewing platform at chest height, from where they have a magnificent view of the valley. The total construction costs are to be covered by donations.
Crane and haulage specialist Darcy Pacheco based in Nova Santa Rita, 20 km away from the capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of Brazil, was engaged to erect the monument. It used two Liebherr LTM 1220-5.2 mobile cranes in a tandem hoist to raise the enormous arms. The time-tested 220 tonne crane features a 60 metre telescopic boom, ensuring it has plenty of hoisting height for the new statue of Christ.
The LTM 1220-5.2 and its predecessor, the LTM 1220-5.1, have enjoyed great popularity over the years, particularly in Brazil. Overall, Liebherr has delivered around 150 of these versatile cranes to the largest country in South America. Darcy Pacheco itself have many units of this model. The 5-axle mobile crane can achieve hoisting heights of up to 101 metres and radii up to 88 metres using lattice extensions.