Liebherr delivers new harbor crane to Port of Toledo

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority recently took delivery of new Liebherr mobile harbor crane technology with the acquisition of a Liebherr LHM 550. The port has been using two LHM 280 for bulk handling operation since 2010. The new LHM 550 will give TLCPA the opportunity to handle bigger grabs and heavier project cargo goods.

The Port of Toledo is predominantly industrial and is one of the busiest ports on the Great Lakes.  TLCPA has been very satisfied with the performance of the cranes and especially appreciates the reliability of the two machines, Liebherr said.

The new Liebherr LHM 550 was shipped from Rostock, Germany, to Toledo, USA, by the shipping company SAL. The new machine allows TLCPA to operate bigger grabs and opens them the business field of heavier project cargo

The LHM 550 is equipped with a 4.80 meter tower extension and a 54 meter boom. With a maximum lifting capacity of up to 144 metric tons, the new crane is able to use much larger grabs and handle more bulk material in a shorter time. In addition, the significantly higher payload, compared to the two existing machines, opens up the possibility for the customer to handle heavier project cargo in the future.

“The investment in a third mobile harbour crane creates a more efficient cargo handling performance at the Port of Toledo that results in shorter lay times for cargo vessels,” said Thomas Winston, president and CEO of Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “The new crane means further growth for us, not only in the bulk sector, but also in the project cargo business sector. In addition to increasing performance, the LHM 550 is an eco-efficient crane that has a Tier 4 final emissions standard and a highly efficient hydrostatic drive.”

The new machine was transported in a disassembled state from Rostock, Germany to Toledo, USA. The heavy-lift carrier “Imke” of the SAL shipping company transported the crane over 4,000 nautical miles to Toledo, Ohio. At the port of Toledo, the crane was then assembled, tested, and handed over by Liebherr service engineers.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority has been in charge at the port since 1955.