The Liebherr LHM 420s will arrive shortly from Rostock in northern Germany. The new investment has cost £9.7M with an additional £500k on new Nemag grabs. They will be a welcome addition to the port, the largest by volume of tonnage in the Humber.
Liebherr is not usually associated with genset MHCs, but the new cranes use a Liebherr hybrid system, which comprises of a diesel generator which runs on HVO and the option to switch to all electric, which achieves a greater performance while reducing fuel consumption at the same time.
“The sustainable hybrid drive reduces the emission of CO2 and other harmful substances, but also gives more power,” said ABP. Liebherr itself has not yet said anything about the drive selected for the cranes. Traditionally ABP Immingham has used diesel-electric MHCs from Gottwald.
Simon Bird, ABP’s regional director for the Humber ports, said: “This is another great investment in the port. It offers our customers a range of equipment, these being specially optimised for vessels in the post-Panamax class.
“It is part of our wider strategy investment in future proofing the Humber ports and giving our customers the confidence that the ports remain resilient, and we are giving them what they need in having reliable and efficient craneage.”
The new cranes offer greater versatility being able to be deployed on any quay, though primarily they will be used for bulk cargo handling and scrap handling. They have a 124t lifting capability in hook mode, and offer greater safety improvements in the driver’s cab, and allow for better fleet management, which means short downtimes and full visibility of the whole fleet.
