Late last spring, our vessel CY Interocean II called at the port of Cobh, Ireland, to load three large Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes destined for Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. Built by Liebherr at their manufacturing site, the cranes were shipped to Cobh and erected on the quay before loading.

Once assembled, each STS crane stood nearly 80 metres tall and 120 metres wide, weighing close to 1,100 metric tonnes. Designed to withstand hurricane conditions in Guadeloupe, these giants demanded a meticulous approach to loading and transport.

In close cooperation with our client and subcontractors, the vessel’s deck equipment and the SPMT arrangement were optimised during the preparation phase. This was essential to manage the extremely tight fit and minimal clearances during loading.

With the combined HTV fleet of BigLift and CY Shipping, we have transported many STS cranes over the years – but every shipment brings its own unique challenges and solutions.