Leading cargo handling equipment specialist Liebherr has been a key player in the development of Russian commercial sea ports with the recent supply of numerous tailor-made products from its Liebherr Port Equipment range.

Since entering the market in 1996, Liebherr has delivered 50 mobile harbour cranes to Russia. The Russian market shows not only big variety related to the crane size, but also with regards to applications of the cranes. Over the last 15 years every single type of the Liebherr mobile harbour crane range was delivered to Russia emphasizing the overall success of the LHM cargo handling concept. Furthermore the Russian fleet of cranes is used for virtually any kind of freight, from container handling to bulk operations, from heavy lifts to general cargo.

The 50th Mobile Harbour Crane, an LHM 600 – currently being the most powerful machine within Liebherr’s versatile range of 7 different Mobile Harbour Crane types - was purchased by Krasnye Barrikady Shipyard. The company is based in Astrakhan at the Russian shores of the Caspian Sea. The LHM 600 has a lifting capacity of 208 t and a maximal outreach of 58 m. The anniversary crane will be mainly used for the manufacturing of ships and tankers. Delivery will take place in October this year. In total, 5 cranes are spread along the Caspian Sea, with locations in Astrakhan and Makhachkala.

Also the Black Sea Coast has traditionally been a strong market for Liebherr mobile harbour cranes. A total of 15 cranes are in operation at the ports of Rostov (1 unit), Novorossiysk (6 units) and Sochi (8 units), host of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014. Liebherr is playing an important role in the project and has been chosen as the main supplier for port equipment. The scope of supply included five LHM 180 HD and three LHM 280 mobile harbour cranes, two R 954 and one R974 material handlers as well as 5 wheel loaders for the new port in Imeretinsky Bay.

Since 2001 Liebherr has delivered 11 LHM 250 to the Port of Dudinka situated at the shores of the Arctic Ocean. All units have been purchased by Norilsk Nickel, the Russian metal giant and terminal operator. The cranes have proved their quality and endurance under severest environmental conditions extensively (temperatures down to -60°C). Consistent efforts in the area of using special low temperature steel material and integrating substantial arctic packages including e.g. a special preheating arrangement of the diesel power pack and the hydraulic system has been bringing already for a long time positive results strengthening the existing cooperation.

Further 11 cranes are situated along the shores of the Baltic Sea, with seven of those operating in St. Petersburg area, 3 units in Kaliningrad and 1 unit in the port of Vyborg.

On the Pacific side of Russia Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes are situated at Nakhodka (1 unit), Vostochny (1 unit) and Vanino (6).

This brings to 50 the number of LHMs machines delivered to various Russian customers within the past 15 years, boosting Liebherr’s excellent market position as the dominant supplier of mobile harbour cranes for the Russian market.

“The variety of mobile harbour cranes Liebherr delivered all over Russia reflects in a way the diversity of this huge country. No matter what application, type or climate circumstances, we always commit ourselves to the customer trying to find the best technical solution. I think this is very much appreciated and forms the basis of our success here in Russia,” says German Ignatov, regional sales manager.