Friday roundup: Crawlers, energy transition and tower crane economics

Sarens’ SGC-250, nicknamed Big Carl, has a capacity of 5,000 tonnes. Here it is working at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project in the UK. Photo: EDF Energy

We made it! Let’s catch up on this week’s big lifts and industry moves.

On Monday, we checked in on the North American lattice boom crawler market. It remains solid overall, but economic and policy clouds linger. Bigge Crane and Rigging’s Joe Nelms reports strong fleet-wide demand, with nearly 400 crawlers ranging from 110 to 1,200 US tons. “We’re optimistic about the outlook for the next number of years,” Nelms said.

On the manufacturing side, tariffs and stalled offshore wind projects present challenges. Jim Jatho at Liebherr USA calls the market stable but notes that reduced clean energy incentives have slowed new installations. However, onshore wind maintenance and potential growth in nuclear and major infrastructure, like sports stadiums, could provide a boost.

By Wednesday, the focus shifted to the global energy transition and the heavy lift sector’s crucial role. Ever-larger wind turbines now require massive crawlers like Liebherr’s LR 11000, while record-breaking SPMT moves, such as Fagioli’s 23,120 tonne vessel loadout in the USA, highlight the sector’s scale.

Mammoet’s work on the N05-A platform in the Dutch North Sea, powered by wind-generated electricity, showcases heavy lift’s role in low-carbon projects. Nuclear and oil & gas sectors remain strong too, with Sarens’ SGC-250 crane tackling lifts at the UK’s Hinkley Point C and major lifts in Asia.

Then on Thursday, we turned to tower cranes, often called the “kings of the construction site.”

At the International Tower Cranes conference in Rome, Uperio founder Philippe Cohet discussed this paradox, noting that while tower cranes deliver a unique service, they yield lower returns than other machinery. With assets lasting far longer than most equipment, Cohet emphasised sustainability and long-term value as keys for the future. “Sometimes long term comes very quickly, so we had better be prepared,” he commented.