Teesport expands crane capacity

The electrically powered crane was delivered from Liebherr’s production facility in Rostock, Germany, and will support bulk handling operations at Teesport alongside two sister cranes commissioned in 2023.

“This latest investment is about building resilience and capacity into our bulk operations at Teesport for the long term,” said Grant Honzik, business unit director – Bulks at PD Ports.

“The performance and reliability of the existing Liebherr cranes has been proven day in, day out, and adding a third LPS 550 gives us greater flexibility on the berth and more headroom during peak demand.”

Designed for continuous heavy-duty operation, the LPS 550 combines electric drive systems with precision engineering to provide reliable and efficient cargo handling. Its 144-tonne lifting capacity and long outreach are expected to improve hatch coverage, reduce repositioning requirements and maintain steady turnaround times for vessels.

Teesport handles tens of millions of tonnes of cargo annually and contributes more than £1.4 billion to the regional economy. The port’s direct sea access, deep-water quays and integrated rail links position it as a key logistics hub for North Sea trade.

The new crane operates exclusively on shore power, eliminating fuel consumption during operation and supporting quieter, lower-emission cargo handling.

Liebherr Great Britains’s divisional manager maritime & port equipment, David Vaughan highlighted the ongoing partnership between the companies.

“To see the repeated trust in our products and services continue to expand has been great,” he said. “It’s excellent to hear such positive feedback on the reliable uptime and performance of the previous units.”