BKL makes complex five-crane lift

BKL had to make allowances for structural challenges posed by the proximity to the river. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL

Crane rental specialist Baukran Logistik (BKL) in Germany came up with a five-crane lift to install a large gantry crane at an industrial park near Frankfurt.

The new trimodal gantry crane is used to trans-ship cargo containers between road, rail and water transport.

Industriepark Höchst in the west of Frankfurt saw a congregation of five all terrain wheeled mobile cranes ranging in lifting capacity from 230 to 450 tonnes. Careful planning and placement of the cranes allowed port and rail activity to continue uninterrupted.

To expand its container terminal, Contargo Industriepark Frankfurt-Höchst ordered a new single-beam bridge type travelling gantry crane to handle more shipping containers. The crane’s manufacturer, Künz from Austria, organised BKL for the lifting work. A total of 360 tonnes of components would be lifted to make the new crane.

The five mobile cranes deployed were as follows: a 230 tonne capacity Liebherr LTM 1230-5.1; a 250 tonne Grove GMK5250XL-1; a 300 tonne Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 and one each 450 tonne Liebherr LTM 1450-8.1 and Grove GMK6450-1.

Positioning the new gantry crane’s 140 tonne main beam required close co-ordination between the BKL crane operators. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL

Everything at once

It was a major challenge to manage everything to allow logistics operations to continue while the crane was being assembled. CAD planning was the answer. Delivery trucks had access at all times and rail transport to the terminal could continue uninterrupted.

At the waterside the stability of the quay wall next to the river had to be considered to maintain structural integrity. Force from the cranes had to be directed straight down through the wall. To minimise this the crane’s outrigger spread and placement of the load distribution plates was made to coincide with a number of selected points above the tracks.

Timing for the cranes to come in and set up was also vital because available space was limited.

With everything set up it was time for the crane ballet to begin. Three cranes lifted the 140 tonne main girder from its three anchor points to a height of 40 metres. On one side was the LTM 1450-8.1 with a luffing jib while the GMK6450-1 and LTM 1230-5.1 were on the other side.

Lifting one of the legs the Liebherr LTM 1300-6.2 reaches past the bigger LTM 1450-8.1 as it held the main beam suspended from its 28 metre luffing jib. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL

While that was going on the LTM 1300-6.2 and GMK5250XL-1 lifted the 17 tonne gantry leg supports into place on the water side. A highlight of the lifting scheme was the LTM 1300-6.2, positioned behind the LTM 1450-8.1, lifting and manoeuvring the leg into its final position by reaching past the larger crane.

At the other end, on the shore side, the 250 tonne and 300 tonne cranes were moved within the construction area ready to install the other two legs. BKL commented, “Thanks to thorough advance planning and BKL Frankfurt’s perfect teamwork on site, the breathtaking crane operation went like clockwork and Künz GmbH was able to install the gantry crane within the schedule dictated by terminal operations.”

All cranes, lifting and load placement was planned by BKL Frankfurt using CAD. The gantry crane components to be lifted are shown in red. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL

The LTM 1300-6.2 and GMK5250XL-1 repositioned to lift the leg components at the shore side end. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL

Careful placement of the cranes meant parts of the new gantry crane didn’t block the installation cranes and they in turn didn’t block operations at the container terminal. Photo: Boris Golz/BKL