June 27 - Mainz, Germany based crane services provider Riga Mainz lifted a container crane at Rhine Port, Gustavsburg, using a Terex CC 2500-1 crawler crane.
The CC 2500-1 was used due to cost considerations and the crane's compact dimensions but powerful specifications.
The container crane, owned by logistics company Contargo, was moved from its original location at Mainz port and barged along the Rhine River to Gustavsburg. The largest component of the crane was the 150 tonne, 77.3 m girder boom.
The CC 2500-1 design allows for it to be transported with its winch and A-frame assembled, reducing set-up time and costs. "Our team only needed two days to set up the crane and two days to tear it down", comments Tim Langer, one of Riga Mainz's crane operators. The CC 2500-1 was also used to load the container crane onto the waiting barge for shipment to Gustavsburg.
To assemble the container crane at the new location, Riga Mainz set up the CC 2500-1 crawler with an SL configuration and boom length of 54 m. The central ballast weighed 40 tonnes, the superstructure ballast weighed 160 tonnes, and the superlift ballast tipped the scales at 100 tonnes.
Positioning the Terex CC 2500-1 to assemble the container crane demanded a great deal of precision. The crane girder had to lifted to a height of 20 m, slewed at a radius of 16 degrees towards the assembly spot, then crawl forward 10 m under load. An assist crane was used to stop the component swinging dangerously during the lifting process. Additional assist cranes were also deployed to lift the container crane columns on which the girder was mounted.
