Products & Equipment
Grove RT550E rough-terrain crane selected for German marina

The largest, most modern private yacht harbour on the Baltic Sea has taken delivery of a Grove RT550E rough-terrain crane to perform a variety of duties, including repairs, building work, boat handling, mast installations, and general maintenance.

Sheltered deep within the Bay of Lübeck, in Neustadt in Holstein, northern Germany, facility-owner ancora Marina selected the crane for its impressive 45 t capacity and 39 m main boom.

“In a marina like this, poorly executed lifting or driving could easily result in costly damage, so the clear and confident operation we get from our new, compact Grove RT550E is very reassuring,” said Ralf Schmidt, head of operational services at the marina. “The crane’s load charts were also an important factor in our purchase, considering the capacity and reach we need for different applications.”

With its tight 3.66 m wheelbase producing a turning radius of just 7.02 m in 2-wheel steer mode, the crane is ideal for congested sites such as the marina. For even closer maneuvering, the crane can operate in 4-wheel steer (with crab and coordinated modes). This versatile movement means the amount of time required for the operator to position the crane is reduced, enabling complex lifting operations to be performed quickly and easily.

There’s plenty of reach too from the five-section MEGAFORM main boom, which extends from 9.9 to 39 m. Even at its maximum length, there’s plenty of strength, with the crane able to lift 0.7 t at a 32 m radius — more than enough to handle daily lift requirements at the marina.

Manitowoc’s popular and intuitive Crane Control System (CCS) is included on the RT550E and provides a user-friendly interface for launching Boom Configurator Mode, another feature that appealed to ancora Marina. It simplifies the telescoping process and increases productivity and efficiency. With two full-color graphic displays for clearer viewing and armrest-mounted jog dial controls for easier navigation and data input, all relevant information and support are at the operator’s fingertips.

Once the crane is in position, its hydraulic-telescoping, three-position (0%, 50%, and fully extended) inverted outrigger jacks provide a firm foundation to ensure each pick is performed as smoothly as possible.

Off to a great start

“It’s a busy environment all year round at ancora Marina, so the Grove RT550E’s maneuverability and ease of use make it a vital part of our operations,” Schmidt concluded. “It’s already been working well, and our operators really appreciate the comfortable full-vision cab that makes their task so much easier.”

The RT550E is one of several rough-terrain Grove cranes built at Manitowoc’s Niella Tanaro, Italy production facility. Other models include the RT530E-2, RT540E, GRT655/655L, and the GRT880 and GRT8100.

There are 1,400 berths for yachts at the ancora Marina, ranging in size from 6 – 35 m, along with over 21,000 m² of indoor space dedicated to winter storage plus another 20,000 m² of asphalted outdoor area. The facility provides customers with year-round service and support, including complex repairs.