The Port of Valencia has successfully integrated two new Liebherr ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes with minimal disruption to port operations.
The cranes were delivered from the Port of Fenit, Ireland, in large, preassembled components, ensuring a streamlined assembly process at one of the Mediterranean’s busiest seaports.
The assembly was carefully planned to avoid interfering with daily port activities. Components, including the massive main beam (69.6 metres) and derrick boom (76.3 metres), were offloaded using the delivery vessel’s crane onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs). Nearly 90 axle lines of SPMTs were employed to safely transport these components across the site.
Mammoet, alongside Liebherr engineers, managed the assembly using crawler cranes, telescopic cranes, cherry pickers, and forklifts. The telescopic cranes, with lifting capacities ranging from 80 to 250 tonnes, worked in tandem with 600-tonne capacity crawler cranes to position the main frame sections accurately.
“As soon as the components were delivered, they were immediately taken away from the quayside to allow operations to continue. The installation process was equally as quick, minimising disruption,” said Javier de Pablo Arenzana, Sales Manager at Mammoet.
Once assembled, the cranes were transported 600 metres to the quayside. SPMTs fitted with interfacing transport beams provided stability during the move, connecting the crane’s landside and seaside frames. The STS cranes were then securely lowered onto their longitudinal rails.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Arenzana added, “We have worked with Liebherr for many years and across a number of different projects. Liebherr value our expertise and experience and are proud to be one of Liebherr’s key partners for this kind of work.”
The seamless integration of these cranes underscores the importance of expert planning and execution in enhancing port efficiency while maintaining uninterrupted operations.