Transforming bulk-handling in Vietnam

Located on the Thi Vai River and serving global traffic in agri-commodities, fertilisers and general cargo, the port has already seen faster berthing cycles as the high-throughput crane becomes embedded in daily operations.

“Engineering decisions at Baria Serece are driven by space, cycle time and reliability,” said Andreas Ritschel, general manager sales mobile harbour cranes at Liebherr-Rostock.

“A rail-mounted portal crane with four-rope grab control offers the stability and handling speed the terminal requires, without sacrificing quay access for landside logistics.”

Clean and green

The LPS 550 brings a 144-tonne lifting capacity, a 48-metre boom and Liebherr’s hydrostatic drive system, pairing heavy-duty capability with more precise control.

Its electric main drive reduces energy consumption while a diesel engine ensures continuity during grid interruptions.

In commissioning tests, the crane exceeded expectations, reaching up to 1,250 tonnes per hour thanks to its four-rope grab system and ability to hoist, slew and luff simultaneously.

These performance gains matter in a terminal that has handled close to seven million tonnes in recent years. In its first year of service, the crane logged around 4,000 operating hours, often running 22 hours a day, quickly becoming the backbone of Phu My’s operational continuity strategy.

With two berths totalling 620 metres and the capability to receive vessels of up to 100,000 DWT, maintaining reliable discharge rates is essential to keeping schedules intact, particularly during seasonal agribulk peaks.

The portal undercarriage is central to its impact, enabling the crane to travel on rails while leaving the area beneath open for trucks and conveyor infrastructure. This is especially valuable on narrow quays, reducing congestion and minimising rehandles.

Liebherr is having a good run of business before year end. Last month, it announced that a new LPS 420 portal crane has taken up duty at Nuh Çimento’s private port in Turkey.