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Crane sails from Germany to Ireland

The Liebherr crane was delivered fully assembled and ready to be put to use.

   A fully assembled Liebherr mobile harbor crane has been delivered by sea to the Shannon Foynes Port Company.
   The LHM 420 traveled from Liebherr’s factory in Rostock, Germany, to the Port of Foynes in Ireland.
   “The addition of this new state-of-the-art crane will help maximize the potential of the deep-water port at Foynes and contribute to the creation of up to 3,000 jobs along the Shannon Estuary,” Liebherr said.
   The LHM 420 was delivered by the MV Papenburg heavy-load carrier. Sailing time was six days. On arrival in Foynes, the crane simply was driven off the vessel by Liebherr engineers and was ready for work the same day.
   “Traditionally, cranes would have had to be delivered in component form with a lengthy onsite assembly and testing program. This would have necessitated a large area being made available for the entire assembly process, which in turn would have hampered port activities,” Liebherr said. “But with direct sea access to the factory in Rostock, Liebherr can now deliver cranes fully assembled to destinations all over the world to save customers time and inconvenience.”
   The new crane primarily will be used in the handling of bulk products at the Port of Foynes. Liebherr said the LHM 420 has an industry-leading grab curve of 75 tons. The crane also is fitted with a positive air pressure system that pressurizes the machinery room with clean air. 
   Due to the port’s close proximity to the town of Foynes, the crane had to operate nearly silently. Liebherr said additional sound proofing was installed to reduce noise emissions to ensure the crane could not be heard by nearby residents and business owners.