Cooper Specialised Handling Ltd, the UK’s leading independent port equipment supplier has released details of a supply contract with Associated British Ports plc for the world’s largest hydraulic crane, model Mantsinen 300M Hybrilift, for their cargo operations in the Port of Immingham.
ABP’s Port of Immingham is universally recognised as the UK’s largest port by tonnage, handling around 46 million tonnes of cargo every year. Together with ABP’s other ports on the Humber at Grimsby, Hull and Goole, Immingham is part of the UK’s leading port complex, an unparalleled gateway for the trade connecting businesses across the UK, Europe, and beyond. The port is probably the most diverse in terms of commodities it handles ranging from containers to Agri bulks and scrap steel to bulk energy. The port is rail connected and supports 10,500 jobs nationally and contributes over £700 million to the economy every year.
The Mantsinen 300M Hybrilift represents the largest machine manufactured by Mantsinen in Finland and is widely recognised as being the largest hydraulic crane in the world. In their early years, the forerunners of today’s 300M were material handlers and have become popular with UK ports for their speed of operation. They have historically however been ‘small cranes for small vessels’, an ideology that Mantsinen blew away with their 200 series machines in 2008 and the launch of the 300 in 2018. These super-sized machines now have the reach and capacity to serve panamax size vessels and can handle as much as 1500 tonnes per hour – far greater than the rope crane equivalents.
ABP already operate a fleet of smaller Mantsinen machines across its network of 21 ports, but this will be the first 300 in the fleet and the first delivery into England – Cooper’s first being delivered to Belfast Harbour in 2019.
The machine weighs in at 365 tonnes (without attachment) and is diesel powered by an EU stage 5 Volvo 16 litre diesel engine. ABP have opted for an 18.5m curved boom and 14m stick and the machine has a wheeled undercarriage of 6 axles with 4 wheels per axle. The machine will also come supplied with Mantsinen’s cab riser to enable the operator to position the cab in the optimum position over the hold to gain a direct line of sight. The machine also is supplied with a range of automatic and semi-automatic attachments that also reduce the need for direct labour in the holds thus enhancing safety further than if stevedores were slinging.
Speaking on behalf of ABP, Simon Bird, Regional Director for ABP Humber said: “Our investment in buying the world’s largest hydraulic crane shows our commitment to ensuring we have the best plant and equipment on the ports to service our customers’ needs. We’re also thrilled to be the first company in Great Britain to have this giant on our port’.”
David Cooper, Executive Director of Cooper Specialised Handling commented “ABP have enjoyed high uptime and operational performance with their Mantsinen fleet since 2016, and we are thrilled that ABP have opted for the biggest of them all. It seems quite appropriate that the UK’s largest port by tonnage should invest in a machine that can handle the most tonnage per hour”
The new machine is anticipated to arrive as a complete unit in Immingham in April on a direct shipment from Finland together with two 95ER machines destined for Ipswich.
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Editor’s Notes
Operating in all sectors of heavy lifting across the UK and Ireland, Cooper Specialised Handling is the exclusive UK distributor for SveTruck, RAM Spreaders, Telestack bulk material handling conveying systems and Sany mobile handling equipment, sole UK importer and exclusive distributor for Mantsinen cranes, Movella Translifters, TEC Containers and a long-term specialist in Konecranes lift trucks. The company, which celebrated 20 years in business in 2018, also has a dedicated after-sales division, Cooper Handling Solutions, which specialises in engineering support.
Independently owned, Cooper offers total solutions in both solids and bulk handling. Its customised solutions comprise high quality, high value products and reliable service for businesses operating in the most challenging heavy handling environments, including ports, freight handling, inter-modal terminals, manufacturing and other heavy lifting industries.