THE first rail mounted gantry harbour crane has commenced operation in the United States, after its recent delivery by manufacturer Liebherr Maritime Cranes.

The customer North Carolina Ports opted for a Liebherr LPS 420 with a special designed curverunning gear for its terminal at the Port of Morehead City.

The special design of NCP’s terminal required the crane to be ready for operation at all quay edges of the rectangular terminal. To ensure this, the rail-mounted gantry crane was equipped with a special curve running gear. This allows the crane to travel through a 90-degree bend with an inner curve radius of 90 metres.

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Paul J. Cozza, North Carolina ports executive director, said, “The new crane will enable us to more efficiently handle a diverse range of cargoes and ultimately better meet customer demand”.

The Port of Morehead City is a breakbulk and bulk facility, one of the deepest on the US east coast, located just four miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the new LPS 420 is equipped as a multi-purpose crane and will be used by NCP mainly for handling grain and fertiliser, as well as various project cargoes such as wind turbines, trains and rails.

The crane was shipped fully assembled, which means it was ready for operation shortly after unloading.