LIEBHERR has assembled the UK’s first 1188 EC-H 40 Fibre tower crane at Portsmouth Naval Base.
Bought by KBS Maritime on behalf of the Royal Navy, the unit has been tipped to boost efficiency across all operations.
Given the unique challenges of the site and long-term operational requirements, its specification was developed through close collaboration between Liebherr and KBS Maritime.
The site is subject to periods of harsh weather and corrosive maritime conditions. To ensure long-term reliability, the crane has been finished with ICP, a maritime-grade paint system designed to withstand corrosion. Further protection is provided through stainless steel control cabinet design, along with galvanising of ladders, handrails and access platforms.
Liebherr explained that one key feature of the crane is its fibre rope technology, which is said to offer numerous advantages over conventional steel rope, including approximately 40% higher peak capacities and easy handling due to light weight.
Simon Cook, Liebherr Great Britain’s tower cranes divisional manager, said, “This is a real game-changer; the fibre rope has many benefits and the main one in this case is that the structure is corrosion resistant. Traditional ropes require constant maintenance, so to be able to offer this as a solution for this project is helping to reduce maintenance and maintain uptime.”
With a 22m radius, the crane lifts up to 40 tonnes. Even at the radius of 90m, the 1188 EC-H Fibre can handle up to 8.1 tonnes in four fall operation. Liebherr added that these capacities make it ‘ideal’ for the transport and installation of heavy components that must be positioned with utmost precision and safety.
