By selling 70 LHMs in 2006, representing a 32 per cent increase over the previous year, Liebherr is celebrating its best performance since the launch of Mobile Harbour Cranes in 1974. In recent years LHMs have become increasingly popular due to their multipurpose applications.
Dry bulk
In 2005 total seaborne trade amounted to 6.6 billion tonnes, consisting of 39 per cent dry bulk. Therefore, four-rope grab cranes for professional bulk handling continue to remain an important part of Liebherr’s strategic focus. Of the 70 cranes sold in 2006, 38 were special, four-rope bulk cranes, representing 54 per cent of the total order intake, reflecting the high standard and quality Liebherr costumers can rely on as well as the market leadership in this specific market niche. Bulk cranes are available in a wide scope of specific settings, but the top selling equipment remains the four-rope solution in connection with the dedicated 2×70 tonne bulk winch configuration.
With growing demand for coal (26 per cent of the total dry bulk seaborne trade) 2006 was a good year for export coal producers and more and more coal terminals decide to invest in LHMs. With an optimistic outlook for the future growth of the coal industry especially in Asia, Liebherr wants to point out the following selected deliveries of special bulk cranes as references and as models for the right, custom-designed solution and economically justifiable investment:
South West Port, Goa, India
In 2004 the first two LHM 400s were delivered to India. This was the start of a long-lasting relationship which found its highlight, so far, in 2006 being a distribution of 10 cranes in total. The abovementioned LHM 400s are operated by South West Port ltd. in Goa.
Besides the major task of handling coal and coke, all types of break bulk cargo run through this facility. Equipped with 2 x 70 tonne winches and a four-rope grab with a volume of 35m3, the cranes handle 30,000 tonnes of coal a day. A third LHM 400 for the same purpose is right now on its way to South West Port ltd., India. The LHMs are utilised to handle different types and sizes of ships including fully loaded Handymax, Panamax and partly loaded vessels up to 150,000 DWT.
TPS Tarragona, Spain
A LHM 600 was specially adapted for bulk handling for TPS Tarragona, which means that the maximum lifting capacity has been limited in favour of increased working speeds. Equipped with 2 x 60 tonne winches, 2 x 670 kW power packs and additional filters, this mobile harbour crane is a specialist for bulk operation, rated up to 2,500 tph in coal handling.
