Port Canaveral has signed an agreement with the Liebherr Group to acquire another mobile harbor crane from the company to support the Port’s growing cargo operations. The 320-foot-tall Liebherr LMH 600 is the second mobile harbor crane to be deployed at Port Canaveral and is part of a new mobile harbor crane product line recently launched by Liebherr. The Port’s first, a Liebherr LMH 600, was entered into service in early 2019.
“This new mobile harbor crane is an important acquisition to enhance our abilities to accommodate an expanding portfolio of diverse cargo, especially at the pace we’re projecting in the coming year,” Port CEO Capt. John Murray explained. “This crane will have greater lift capability that will also meet the needs of the expanding commercial space enterprise in our region.”
In August, the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners approved the $7.4 million acquisition cost for the new crane, which will be offset by a $2.8 million grant from the Florida Department of Transportation. The new mobile harbor crane is expected to arrive at Port Canaveral in December 2023.
Built by German-based Liebherr Group, the LMH 600 is a 128-wheeled, 696-ton crane that will be 74-tons heavier than the Port’s current LMH 600. The new crane will have lift capability up to 154 tons and a jib length of 200 feet. Its 20-container reach will accommodate containers stacked nine high on deck – an upgraded handling capability from the previous model generation – and its undercarriage will have 32 axel sets compared to 26. A new crane control system, advanced sensor integration and digital information transmission can enable future assistance and partial automation systems.