Liebherr USA overhauls dredging crane

Liebherr USA completed the overhaul of a high-performance duty cycle machine at its location in Houston, Texas.

The Liebherr HS 8300.1 is operated by Matthews Brothers Dredging and has been bucket dredging along the US Gulf Coast for more than 20,000 operating hours over four years.

With a capacity of 500 kN and winch speeds of up to 125 metres a minute, the machine is said to be ideal for this type of application.

Liebherr HS 8300.1 at work on the Gulf Coast (Photo: Liebherr)

“The recommendation for an overhaul is usually a combination of both the lifetime of the machine and the application, so a heavy application will require an earlier overhaul,” explained Bertrand Meiss, field engineering manager at Liebherr USA.

To-do list

The work on the crane included a preliminary inspection and, based on that and the maintenance records, together with projections for the future work pattern, Liebherr compiled a package of works including maintenance and technical improvements.

This helped to identify appropriate work and avoid unnecessary costs.

The work included replacement of all hydraulic components, including hoses, together with electrical hardware. New upgrades included improved boom lighting, plus new safety features including boom walkways and additions to the central lubrication system.

Work on the crane took 12 weeks, after which the crane was reassembled on the dredging barge – ready for another 20,000 hours of operation.