20.04.2023

First Liebherr LR 12500-1.0 delivered

Belgian international crane and heavy lifting company Sarens has taken delivery of the very first 2,500 tonne Liebherr LR 12500-1.0 crawler crane.

The new crane was handed over formally at the Port of Rostock, Sarens plans to use the revolutionary new crane, primarily in the renewable energy sector, including offshore wind turbines.
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The handover in Rostock earlier this month

Technical solutions, projects & engineering director Carl Sarens said: "The capacity of the LR 12500-1.0 is enormous. Operations in the renewable energy sector, such as here in Rostock, are a particular focus for the crawler crane. The handling of offshore wind turbines in ports is becoming more and more important and the individual weights of the components are constantly increasing. The initial assembly of the new crane worked very well."
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Sophie Albrecht hands the new crane over to Marc Sarens

Liebherr group board member Sophie Albrecht, who is responsible for the mobile and crawler crane division added: "Today would have been the 108th birthday of my grandfather and company founder Hans Liebherr."

Sarens has named the new crane Straffen Hendrik as a tribute to long time employee Hendrick Sanders. The Flemish word straffen, meaning strength, goodness and robustness. Sanders has worked for the Belgian company for more than 30 years and is responsible project planning for large cranes.
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Hendrik Sanders of Sarens

The LR 12500-1.0 first job will be to help lift 50 monopiles with diameters of up to nine metres, an overall length of 90 metres with a weight of more than 1,400 tonnes into the water in tandem lifts with an 800 tonne Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 crawler.

The job is expected to take around eight weeks. Including load handling attachments, the two cranes have a combined capacity at the required radius of 1,750 tonnes. The monopiles will be transported to the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm, which is currently under construction, 30 kilometres north of the island of Rügen in north east Germany.

Check the video
The video below shows the crane being shipped, assembled on site and then carrying out its first lift.