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Liebherr’s part in the race to success

A Liebherr 285 EC-B Tower Crane has been entrusted with the delicate role of lifting Team New Zealand’s prized race boat in and out of its harbour base. Cranes and Lifting explains.

A Liebherr 285 EC-B Tower Crane has been entrusted with the delicate role of lifting Team New Zealand’s prized race boat in and out of its harbour base. Cranes and Lifting explains.

New Zealand Crane Hire, New Zealand’s leading mobile crane company, is on board as an official Team New Zealand supplier. NZ Cranes is responsible for lifting the team’s race boat in and out of the water at its Viaduct Harbour base.

The new 75-foot AC75 foiling monohull, named Te Aihe, was lifted into the water for the first time in September 2019 with NZ Crane Hire’s Demag AC 250 all-terrain mobile crane.

NZ Crane Hire’s managing director, Deane Manley, says the company has done thousands of large-scale lifts in its 60-year history but there was added pressure with many eyes watching the launch.

“This boat is precious cargo and carries the hopes of a nation so it is a little different. But essentially cranes are based on simple geometry, so it comes down to careful planning and a high level of skill from our crane drivers to get the job done well,” Manley said.

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The crane which is supplied by New Zealand Crane Hire is a Liebherr 285 EC-B tower crane, a 12t litronic crane, on a static base, with a short jib with 34.7m and a hook height of 39.9m. This configuration was made especially for this job. The 285 EC-B has the micromove function for very precise and smooth crane operations. This makes the machine perfect for such jobs.

“The team and I are also looking forward to playing a small part in helping the team defend the Cup in 2021,” Manley said.

According to Manley the company will have a crane based permanently at the New Zealand syndicate in the lead up to and during the Cup in 2021.

“It’s going to be a regular job on a tight and busy site so the crane we have down there on an on-going basis will be set up for Team New Zealand’s specific requirements,” he said.

Grant Dalton, CEO Team New Zealand, says the build-up to the America’s Cup would not be possible without NZ Crane Hire.

“The boat weighs 6.5 tonnes and there are some very interesting winds around the Viaduct so getting the boat in and out of the water as safely and efficiently as possible on a regular basis is key. That’s where NZ Crane’s expertise come in.”

The 36th America’s Cup is returning to Auckland’s waterfront in 2021 after Emirates Team New Zealand won the Cup in Bermuda in 2017.

The racing period will take place from March 6 – March 21. It will be a best-of-13, first-to-seven-points series.

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