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A record year for Liebherr mobile harbour cranes

In 2021, Liebherr set a company record for maritime mobile harbour cranes orders.

In total, more than 80 new cranes and various used units were sold to customers worldwide. Liebherr mobile harbour cranes were ordered from 31 different countries with all continents being represented.  The company recorded strong growth in the Middle East and West Africa regions and stable core markets in Europe as well as North and South America.

As in previous years, the LHM 550 is the most popular crane, closely followed by the LHM 420. A strong increase in sales of the LHM 800 was recorded, which more than tripled compared to the previous year.

“The Liebherr mobile harbour crane and its clear technical advantages in the MHC market have once again convinced customers all over the world,” said Andreas Müller, sales director for mobile harbour cranes.

“I am very proud of our sales team here in Rostock and in more than 40 sales and service companies worldwide. Only through our cooperative and partnership-based collaboration can we meet the needs of our customers.”

Liebherr also recorded its highest sales of portal cranes, with orders for more than 20 new units were Liebherr Portal Slewing Cranes (LPS). The manufacturer was able to close the year with a major portal crane project at the end of 2021. The leading steel manufacturer in Italy, Acciaierie d’Italia, ordered four new LPS 800 portal cranes. The four machines are 100 per cent electrically powered and allow for emission-free bulk handling. They are also equipped with Liebherr’s Pactronic hybrid system, which supplies the crane with additional power when required.

Emission-free terminals

Almost half of all mobile harbour cranes sold in 2021 were equipped with an electric main drive delivering emission-free cargo handling. The demand for various electric drive solutions has doubled when compared to the sales year 2019.

“The Liebherr MCC-tec GmbH has stood for sustainability in drives for decades. We see that our sophisticated electric motors are revolutionizing port handling. Together with our customers, we will continue the path to sustainable ports,” said Andreas Ritschel, Deputy Sales Manager for Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes. “Our innovative cranes and the development of CO₂-neutral drive technology is inspiring the industry. Competition is trying to catch up, but Liebherr-MCC-tec have been leading the field in terms of development and innovation for many years,”

Sustainability in action

In addition to various electric solutions, Liebherr also offers the possibility of operating diesel-powered equipment in a more environmentally friendly way. In the first half of the year, the first LHM 420 powered by HVO diesel was delivered to the Swedish port city of Södertälje.

HVO Renewable Diesel is a fossil-free premium diesel product made from 100 per cent renewable raw materials that emits no additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A further step towards sustainability was achieved in September 2021 when Liebherr-MCCtec was awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal.

EcoVadis is the world’s most renowned provider of sustainability ratings with over 85,000 companies assessed. The gold medal places Liebherr-MCCtec among the top 5 per cent of all rated companies and the top 3 per cent of manufacturing companies.