November 12 - A team of Manitowoc crawler cranes is playing a major part in the building of a EUR1 billion (USD1.24 billion) LNG terminal in Dunkirk, France.
Dutch crane specialist Crane House supplied five Manitowoc crawler cranes - two 16000s, two 2250s and one 15000 model - to work on the construction of the LNG terminal. The cranes began working on the project in 2011.
"Working on such an expansion project asks a lot of these cranes, plus the seafront location means they are battered by strong winds and challenging weather," said business development director at Crane House, Julian Agostini. "But the Manitowoc crawlers haven't let us down."
Most of the Manitowoc cranes worked along the shoreline of the project, while one was assembled on an offshore platform, providing better lift capacity over the waterfront area of the project.
Currently the Manitowoc 15000 and 160000 crawlers, which offer capacities of up to 250 tonnes and 400 tonnes respectively, are still at work on the site.
The 270-tonne capacity Manitowoc 2250 travelled from Libya to work at the LNG site, and was recently removed from the project to work at an offshore jobsite near Casablanca, Morocco.
The LNG terminal in Dunkirk will have the capacity to hold 13 billion cu m of gas, which is equivalent to 20 percent of France and Belgium's annual natural gas consumption.
Once complete the site will consist of three LNG storage tanks, as well as marine structures and buildings providing connections to French and Belgian gas transmission networks.
The facility will be the largest of its kind in Europe, claims Manitowoc.
