28.03.2022

Tadano lands in Easter Island

Tadano has delivered a third Rough Terrain crane to Easter Island around two years later than originally planned.

The manufacturer decided to donate the crane in 2019 as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations and as part of its ongoing relationship with Chile and Easter Island. Koichi Tadano formally handed the crane over to the Chilean ambassador to Japan, Julio Fiol.
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Julio Fiol (L) receives the crane from Koichi Tadano in 2019

The pandemic caused numerous shipping and delivery postponements, and the crane spent two years in Chile before it was finally delivered to Easter Island earlier this year.
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The GR-1000XL before shipping

The crane - a 100 tonne GR-1000XL rough terrain - joins two previous cranes that Tadano has donated to help with the Moai Restoration Project, a major undertaking that involved the Chilean government, embassy, navy, archaeologists from Japan and Chile and island locals. By 1995, the original crane, a 50 tonne TR-500EX, had helped restore 15 of the legendary Moai statues to their altars in Ahu Tongariki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards, it proved extremely useful for transporting supplies and assisting with public works projects until weather and heavy use took it out of commission in 2003. Tadano donated a replacement crane, a 60 tonne TR-600XL, in September 2005 and 14 years later, the decision was taken to donate a third crane.
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The crane is transferred from the ship to a landing craft

Daihei Semba and Yurie Yamashita of Tadano Chile, were actively involved in the entire process. "While the transportation was quite difficult, it took more effort and time to navigate the procedure and process for donation,” said Yamashita. “The procedure clarification about the import and customs policy was the first hurdle for us."

Tadano worked with SASIPA, an organisation focused on the quality of life for inhabitants of Easter Island, in order to ensure proper donation and import procedures are followed. The journey from Puerto Montt to Easter Island took seven days and was carried out by shipping company Transmarko. On arrival at Easter Island, the crane had to be transferred from the ship to smaller vessels using the ship’s crane, as Easter Island does not have a port capable of handling a large ship. Once on the island, Tadano service engineers reassembled the GR-1000XL and took the opportunity to inspect and service the 17 year old TR-600XL which had suffered some rust damage and needed significant repairs.
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On terra firma

Mogami Yuko of the Hotel Taha Tai on Easter Island said: “When the ship carrying the crane arrived on the island, it was broadcast on the island radio ‘the Tadano machine is here!' Many islanders went to see the unloading of the crane, and when it was completed safely, it was surrounded by many cheers.”

“Our island is 4,000 kilometres from mainland Chile, with no factories here and a limited variety of vegetables, fruits, and fish we can be self-sufficient. But for other supplies, we have to rely on imports from Chile through air or ship. Air is expensive and limited, so we mostly rely on sea transportation for supplies. The crane is being used for unloading the supplies and cargos, and things like propane gas tanks and vehicles. We are grateful. Wonderful is the only word we would use to describe it.”
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(L-R) Alberto Hereveri Rojas of SASIPA, Join Jair Solis Suarez of Tadano Chile and Manuel Ponce Barrenechea of SASIPA

The video below shows the new crane being unloaded on Easter Island