Two massive ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes were delivered and assembled at the Port of Valencia with minimal disruption to ongoing port operations, thanks to careful coordination between Mammoet and Liebherr.
Cargo ports like Valencia handle thousands of ships each year. Ensuring operations run smoothly while upgrading infrastructure is a tough balancing act—especially when heavy lifting equipment like STS cranes are involved. With port capacity often stretched and new container vessels growing in size, the need for smarter, non-intrusive solutions has become urgent.
That was the case at the Port of Valencia, one of the busiest hubs in the Mediterranean, where two STS container cranes from Liebherr were recently delivered in large preassembled parts. Rather than constructing the cranes directly on the quay, the teams opted for offsite assembly to prevent interference with cargo handling and vessel operations.
The cranes were shipped from the Port of Fenit, Ireland, in separate structural components, including the massive 69.6-meter main beam and 76.3-meter derrick boom. Upon arrival in Spain, the components were offloaded from the vessel using its onboard crane and placed onto SPMTs (self-propelled modular transporters). Almost 90 axle lines of SPMTs were mobilized to distribute the load safely.
Once transported to a designated assembly area away from the operational quayside, the build process began. Mammoet deployed a range of equipment, including crawler cranes, telescopic cranes, cherry pickers, and forklifts. Each machine played a specific role throughout the multi-stage assembly.
The two crawler cranes, each rated for 600 tonnes, handled the heaviest lifts. Telescopic cranes, with lifting capacities between 80 and 250 tonnes, supported by positioning and stabilizing the structures. One particularly intricate step involved tandem lifting—where the telescopic and crawler cranes worked together to raise the upright main frame sections and install them on bogies.
Teams from Mammoet and Liebherr oversaw the mechanical and electrical integration, coordinating multiple subcontractors to ensure precise alignment and secure connections. Despite the project’s complexity, execution remained swift and uninterrupted.
Once fully assembled, the cranes needed to be positioned on the quay. To achieve this, engineers used SPMTs fitted with two specialized transport beams designed to connect the crane’s landside and seaside legs. Each leg of the crane included a dedicated transport bracket, which the SPMTs aligned with before raising the entire structure using onboard hydraulic strokes.
With everything secured, the cranes were driven 600 meters across the port to their final destination along the longitudinal rails at the quayside. This final maneuver was carried out carefully to maintain structural stability and load distribution throughout the journey.
According to Javier de Pablo Arenzana, Sales Manager at Mammoet, maintaining operational continuity was at the forefront of the project strategy. “As soon as the components were delivered, they were immediately taken away from the quayside to allow operations to continue. The installation process was equally as quick, minimizing disruption,” he said.
He added, “We have worked with Liebherr for many years and across a number of different projects. Liebherr value our expertise and experience and are proud to be one of Liebherr’s key partners for this kind of work.”
This project is a clear example of how effective planning, the right equipment, and strong partnerships can help ports evolve their infrastructure while keeping goods moving—no downtime, no delays.
