Cargo particulars and task
Our customer needed to ship two Liebherr LTR 1220 telescopic crawler cranes from Cyprus to Texas, with departure at the earliest practical opportunity.
Each main unit measured approximately 15.93 × 4.50 × 3.70 m and weighed 91.4 tonnes without counterweights. Including the counterweights and accessories, the shipment comprised 28 packages weighing approximately 375 tonnes.
Solution
RoRo initially appeared to be a practical option. However, the available routing required transshipment via Antwerp. Suitable roll trailers were also unavailable in Cyprus, and repositioning them would add several weeks before shipment could begin.
Another alternative in mind – a suitable breakbulk liner. And this has worked. We secured space aboard Spliethoff’s MV Donaugracht, operating on the Medliner breakbulk liner service, for shipment from Limassol to Houston.
The vessel’s own cargo gear could handle the cranes, allowing both machines and their components to travel together without transshipment.
Challenges
The lifting configuration and movement inside the hold required careful planning. The cranes needed to retain their crawler tracks so they could move to their designated stowage positions after being lowered into the hold.
The counterweights were removed to match the supplied lifting arrangement. This kept each main unit at approximately 91.4 tonnes while avoiding further dismantling of the machines.
What was done
We coordinated the cargo configuration, lifting arrangements and loading preparations with the customer, local partners and Spliethoff’s supercargo.
The agreed stowage plan placed counterweights beneath the crawler tracks, with timber separation between the steel surfaces. The lifting and stowage arrangements were reviewed before the vessel’s arrival, alongside the final packing list and shipping documentation.
Loading took place in Limassol on 25 June 2026 using the vessel’s cranes.
Result
Donaugracht berthed in Houston on 7 August, and Spliethoff confirmed completion of discharge by 9 August.
Both cranes, their counterweights and accessories travelled together on one vessel. The solution avoided waiting for roll trailers and retained the crawler assemblies throughout the sea shipment.
Planning a shipment of heavy construction machinery? Contact ENKEL Project Logistics to discuss the route and handling requirements.
