Liebherr lifting space components at Port Canaveral

A special modified LHM 600 at Port Canaveral marks the largest mobile harbor crane in the U.S. to handle all types of heavy cargo, including space components. The machine features a maximum lifting capacity of up to 154 tonnes and 58 meters boom reach. A special double layer winch in combination with a high-rise configuration allows a maximum lifting height of up to 70 meters.

Rostock (Germany) July 2020 - A custom-designed Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbor crane has been in operation for the Canaveral Port Authority since beginning of 2019. The special modified machine is the largest mobile harbour crane in the U.S. to handle all types of heavy cargo, including space components. The crane has the heaviest lift capability in all of Florida at up to 154 tonnes plus an outreach of 18-containers across. Furthermore, the machine is equipped with a double layer winch and a special tower extension that allows a maximum lifting height of up to 70 meters.
Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray said the flexibility of a Liebherr mobile harbor crane made it more attractive for Canaveral than a fixed crane. “The current technology in the mobile harbour crane has hydraulics where you can control everything from the cabin, just like you can on a rail mounted gantry, but you have further possibilities. The space industry is landing more vehicles offshore on platforms and bringing them back to the port, so we needed a crane that could lift that kind of cargo. It has to handle both the weight and height of the rocket booster. The new crane can even service ships at the port’s cruise terminal.”