Fascan donates five cranes

US Fassi crane distributor Fascan International has donated five electric cranes to the Ocean City Reef Foundation (OCRF) of Ocean City, MD.

Valued at close to US$290,000, the cranes will be used by OCRF to load reef building materials onto barges for off load at the reef sites several miles off shore and in other ways that further the mission of the organization.

Reef building materials, which can range from scrap iron and concrete to boats and other vessels, rest on the ocean floor and become the starting point for a reef community. Mussels, sponges and corals use the new material as a foundation to create a living reef which in turn hosts populations of fish, lobsters, crabs and shrimp that feed on the reef and are food for other sea life.

As part of the contribution, Fascan dealer Crane Specialists, Inc. of Manheim, PA., will maintain the cranes to keep them operational while in OCRF’s service.

“We’re overwhelmed by this donation,” says Monty Hawkins, OCRF’s director. “These cranes will make it easier for us to not only build the aquatic ecosystem, but also stimulate economic growth for our area in the form of diving, recreational fishing and eco-tourism.”

“We saw an opportunity to match equipment with an organization that needed it,” says Bernie Faloney, Fascan CEO. “It’s a great thing when businesses can work together to share resources —especially when it benefits the larger community.”

For more information about OCRF, visit: www.ocreefs.org

For more information about Fascan International, visit: www.fascan.com