US' Largest Mobile Harbour Crane at Port Canaveral

Port Canaveral has taken the delivery of mobile harbor crane - 270-foot-tall Liebherr LHM 600 - the largest of its kind in the US.

The huge LHM 600 crane arrived at the port on January 18, 2018 aboard the “Happy Dover”, a heavy load carrier and  will be operational in the second quarter of 2019. It joins two 270-foot-tall ship-to-shore cranes in service at the port since 2014.

The Canaveral Port Authority purchased the mobile harbor crane to accommodate the Port’s growing diverse cargo throughput, adding handling flexibility and extended lift capability, including heavy cargo and space components for the Port’s cargo operations.

“Port Canaveral has added a new dimension to our harbor and cargo management capability,” Port CEO Capt. John Murray stated.

“We’re excited to bring ashore this versatile, state-of-the-art crane to help the Port better meet the needs of a growing Central Florida economy. This kind of equipment gives the Port wide ranging deployment options to service current and future cargo demands,” Murray added.

Built by German-based Liebherr Group, the LHM 600 is a multi-wheeled, 1.19-million-pound crane designed to handle all types of cargo, from containers and bulk/breakbulk, to heavy lift project including spacecraft components.

With a maximum lifting capacity of 154 tons and a jib length of 190 feet, the crane has an 18-container reach for containers stacked nine high on deck. Its maximum lifting height is 148 feet. A 972-kilowatt diesel engine provides power to the crane, which has individually steerable rubber wheel sets that enable it to move in all directions.

Canaveral Port Authority’s $6.2 million acquisition cost was offset by a $2.72 million seaport grant from the Florida Department of Transportation.