1,000th Liebherr mobile harbour crane delivered to French terminal

The 1,000th Liebherr Mobile Harbour Crane has been delivered and erected at Montoir Bulk Terminal (MBT) in France. The new LPS 550 is set to play a major role in MBT’s cargo handling chain, optimising bulk transport.

Founded in 2011, Montoir Bulk Terminal represents the first French terminal for bulk food and peat. It is a joint venture between SEA-invest and IDEA Groupe. SEA-invest is one of the world’s largest terminal operators for dry bulk, fruit and liquid bulk and operates 25 ports spread across three continents. The IDEA Groupe, formerly known as MTTM, is a French transport and logistics company which also specialises in bulk supply chains. 

The new crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 75t in grab operation. It is the first LPS 550 worldwide, meaning the first 550 on a portal. Liebherr employs the same technology but the bottom section changes. The crane was manufactured and pretested in Rostock before its delivery to the west coast of France. 

The structure of the crane is based on the construction of the LHM 550, which is Liebherr’s most in demand mobile harbour crane model. An obvious modification is that the undercarriage is replaced by a portal solution which is installed on rails. The tailor-made portal solution allows for usage of the area underneath the slewing cabin, a useful feature especially on narrow quays. In addition to the LPS 550, a conveyor belt and a hopper are used to guarantee smooth transport of bulk cargo throughout the terminal. Thanks to this space saving portal solution it was possible to install the crane directly above the conveyor. 

To achieve even more turnover, crane drivers rely on Liebherr’s Cycoptronic with Teach-In extension. This valuable tool eliminates load swing through constantly calculating possible sway and automatically initiating dynamic counterbalancing movements. The Teach-In feature represents an optimal extension feature, especially when efficient bulk handling is required.

The new LPS 550 is equipped with the unique Pactronic hybrid drive system. This innovative system boosts performance and reduces emissions at the same time, each by 30 percent, Liebherr said.

Other Liebherr models include the LHM Mobile Harbour Crane Series (conventional undercarriage); LPS Portal Slewing Crane Series (rail-mounted portal); LFS Fixed Slewing Crane Series (fixed on ground); and LBS Barge Slewing Crane Series (barge solution).