Giant Liebherr Crane Will En-Able Project Freight and Vast Environmental Dismantling Contracts

UK – Liebherr has set another bar higher recently when one of its giant LHM600SHL mobile harbour cranes arrived at Hartlepool’s Able Seaton Port, the specially adapted unit has a 208 tonne lift and a 58 metre radius and Able claims it to be the largest crane of its type operational in the country. The standard hook height has been extended by 19 metres to a lofty 64 metres, together with an increased fulcrum height in order to reach over tall structures such as semi-submersible oil rigs, and the crane will be used for wide range of activities associated with handling project cargo, particularly large components as freight for the offshore wind sector, as well as maintaining offshore oil and gas drilling rigs and other general port-related activities.

The Able group is one of the fastest growing enterprises of its type, based principally in the North East it specialises in environmental recycling and decommissioning redundant marine structures and the Seaton facility is home to one of the largest dry docks in the world. Recently granted a development Consent Order for its 900-acre Able Marine Energy Park project on the South Bank of the Humber this latest multi million pound investment is slated to produce around forty new jobs.

With so much attention given to the disgusting conditions which exist in many third world countries, sites such as Alang are coming under scrutiny as more companies are being made aware of their environmental responsibilities. When the French and US Governments needed to ensure proper disposal of naval giants like the aircraft carrier, Le Clemenceau and vessels from the US MARAD fleet, the Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre (TERRC) at Able Seaton Port was the site of choice.

The new acquisition will doubtless prove useful for Able’s latest contract, the disposal of four offshore structures from the Shell operated Brent Field in the North Sea. The contract will see three platform topsides, as well as a 138m high steel platform jacket, transported from the Brent field over 100 miles north east of Scotland to Able Seaton Port, prompting Able UK Managing Director Andrew Jacques, to comment:

“The acquisition of this specialist crane underlines our future proofing to ensure that we continue to provide the best possible service to meet the needs of our customers, it will certainly help to attract more business to Seaton Port and the Tees, providing more opportunities for local businesses and further complimenting the construction of new quays at Seaton Port, one of which will be used for loading of single-piece offshore structures of up to 48,000 tonnes.”

Photo: The giant crane arriving quayside.