The large-scale project is thus entering the next exciting phase – the erection of the biggest offshore crane Liebherr Maritime Cranes has ever constructed, the HLC 295000. The “Orion” reached the Liebherr Rostock on the 22nd of November 2019. Following the arrival in Rostock, the assembly of the HLC 295000 is going to begin. The manufacture of Liebherr’s first HLC is a revolutionary project that is now ready to go into the final phase. Over the past months, the technical and organisational efforts were immense. Several thousand tonnes of steel have been formed, welded and assembled into a product that is unique for Liebherr. Not only the size of the crane, but also the size of the individual components and main parts is exciting. The HLC boom alone is 160 metres long and the whole crane has a height of 90 metres. Assembled on a huge pedestal the crane is going to have a lifting height of up to 180 metres – almost twice as high as the Statue of Liberty in New York. With a lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes at more than 30 metres outreach the HLC 295000 could lift nine fully loaded A380 airplanes in one go. In order to install the giant HLC 295000 on the “Orion”, the recently inaugurated TCC 78000 will support the assembly work. With its maximum lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes and a max. lifting height of 158 metres, the TCC 78000 is predestined for this kind of challenging operation. The newly developed travelling cargo crane (TCC) is equipped with double bogeys (two rails per side) and has a track gauge of 30 metres. Therefore, the gantry crane provides optimum flexibility for handling all types of heavy goods. Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH is looking forward to entering the final stages of the realisation of this landmark offshore project. The Liebherr Group comprises more than 130 companies on all continents and currently employs more than 46,000 people. In 2018, Liebherr achieved a consolidated total turnover of around 10.551 billion euros. The parent company is Liebherr- International AG in Bulle (Switzerland), whose shareholders are exclusively members of the Liebherr family. Liebherr is now jointly managed by the second and third generations. This continuity characterises the group of companies and is a solid basis for its success. Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH offers a versatile and well-graded product range in the manufacture of maritime cranes, with solutions for all types of cargo handling for ports, shipping and the offshore sector. Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH’s product portfolio includes mobile harbour cranes, ship cranes, offshore cranes and reachstackers.

The PLA is a Trust Port and has responsibility for maintaining the safety of navigation for 83 nautical miles of the tidal Thames from Teddington Lock to the Outer Thames Estuary. The Port’s jurisdiction covers an area of 400 square nautical miles and includes 70 ports, terminals and wharves.  Vessel traffic ranges from Ultra Large Container Ships through to multiple ferry operators, barge transports and a large range of recreational activities.The PMSC is the national standard for every aspect of port marine safety. A central requirement of the Code is that marine risk management is used to inform the operation of the marine safety management system (MSMS). The Code requires the appointment of a DP to provide assurance directly to the ‘Duty Holder’ that the MSMS is working effectively and is compliant with the Code.

“Safety of Navigation for vessels using the Thames’ wide range of Port and Marine Berths is our key objective,” said Bob Baker, Chief Harbour Master at the PLA. “With a diverse mix of vessel traffic and an increase in the world’s largest container vessels calling into the Thames Estuary, we continue to assess and adapt our procedures to ensure we maintain the very highest levels of navigational safety. We look forward to working with ABPmer through 2020 as our independent Designated Person.” Monty Smedley, Head of Maritime at ABPmer, said “We are delighted to be appointed to provide DP services for the PLA. The Maritime team at ABPmer look forward to supporting the PLA with port assurance and marine safety management.” ABPmer has a wealth of experience in providing PMSC support to port and harbour operators. Their Master Mariners, marine scientists, regulatory advisors and auditors provide a total risk management solution tailored to the needs of the port and harbours sector. 

The ports are important nodes for the transport of people and goods, and have an essential role in global trade and the world economy. They therefore also have a decisive role in creating a sustainable future aligned with the Paris Agreement and the United Nation’s global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). “Stockholm has had ambitious environmental and sustainability goals for many years. This is a good initiative in the right direction. It is important to work together with many actors to solve common challenges,” states Joakim Larsson (M), Vice Mayor for City Planning. Ten Nordic ports have signed a declaration that emphasises the importance of sharing knowledge, information and best practices within a variety of different environmental areas:

Energy use and alternative energy sources.

Emission of air and water pollutants from port operation, vessels at the quayside and sailing the same territorial waters.

Biological diversity and prevalence of invasive species.

Innovative solutions that support sustainable development, e.g., through close collaboration with academia, industry and start-ups.

“Sustainability issues are crucial, and at the same time extremely complex. To accelerate the work we need to create strong partnerships. The declaration is related to the UN’s global Sustainable Development Goals and signals a strong joint commitment among of some of the largest Nordic ports to act collectively, which strengthens our ability to take the work further,” says Thomas Andersson, Ports of Stockholm Managing Director. The ten Nordic ports that have signed the declaration are: the Copenhagen Malmö Port, Port of Helsingborg, Faxaports Iceland, Port of Aarhus, Port of Helsinki, Port of Esbjerg, Port of Gothenburg, Ports of Stockholm, Port of Tórshavn, and the Port of Oslo.