Port of Vancouver USA receives second mobile harbor crane

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Port of Vancouver USA took another step toward leadership in wind energy and heavy lift project cargo handling Friday, as it took delivery of its second mobile harbor crane.

Under a dark canopy of clouds, the port’s first Liebherr LHM500 mobile harbor crane picked the elements of the second crane – an identical match to the new one – off of the vessel Heranger at the port’s Terminal 2.

The crane’s elements – the chassis (featuring 80 wheels and tires), main house, tower, boom, counterweights and all of the cable and other hardware – will be erected over the coming weeks at the port.

The first crane was purchased in 2006 and has been a key factor in the port’s wind energy and heavy lift project cargo growth over the last two years. Both cranes have the capacity to lift up to 140 metric tons (the equivalent of two space shuttles). They are the largest mobile harbor cranes in North America, and the Port of Vancouver is the only port in North America to have two of them. The cranes allow the port to meet customer demands and prosper during the current global recession.

The new crane was ordered in October 2008 and built in Rostock, Germany. It was loaded to the Heranger in Austria last month for a Transatlantic voyage that included passage through the Panama Canal and up the North American West Coast, with stops at various ports along the way.

Since 2006, Port of Vancouver has been globally recognized as a wind power and project cargo logistics hub for regional, national and international projects. With the rapid growth of the wind energy industry, the port is poised to grow jobs and income for Vancouver, Clark County and Southwest Washington, and sustain related (induced) jobs in rail, trucking, engineering, wind farm construction and wind farm maintenance, among others.
 
In 2007, the port handled enough wind energy cargo to create 72,000 Longshore work hours (on wind energy cargo alone, a port record). This led to the creation of 20 new full-time Longshore workers to keep up with the cargo handling needs.

In 2009, the port is expected to shatter that record with as many as 100,000 Longshore work hours or more on wind energy cargo alone.

About the Port of Vancouver USA

The Port of Vancouver USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

The Port of Vancouver is embarking on a year full of projects and developments that will lead to vital job creation, economic stimulation and environmental preservation. By diversifying its cargo mix between bulk commodities, breakbulk and project cargos, the port is responsible for job generation and significant contributions to the tax base for not only its own community, but also the state of Washington. Current expansion of the port’s rail system and development of new port industrial and marine properties will bring new jobs – both short term and long term – and the preservation of wetlands, the creation of enhanced wildlife habitat, and make way for more green/sustainable business partners operating from the port. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.

– POV –

At A Glance

Who: Port of Vancouver USA
What: Arrival of new mobile harbor crane
When: Friday, March 20, 2009
Where: Port of Vancouver USA, Terminal 2, Berth 1
Quick Facts: The Port of Vancouver is the only North American port to have two of these mobile harbor cranes – the largest in North America … Each crane has the capacity to lift up to 140 metric tons – the equivalent of two space shuttles … the cranes position the port as a global leader in heavy lift cargo.