When the crane was first invented (that would be around the time of the Ancient Greeks), it wasn’t very easy to move around. The whole practical application of the early crane was basically rooted in the idea that a solid stationary point could provide a fulcrum for applying an upward lifting force: which is why we see the anchor holes for static cranes in the front of the remains of Ancient Grecian temples and villas.

We now have more details on the Liebherr LR 13000 which lifted a test load of 3,371 tonnes at the end of November – the heaviest load ever been lifted by a Liebherr crane. The crane was fitted with a 60 metre main boom, a 54 metre derrick boom, 400 tonnes of superstructure ballast and 1,500 tonnes of suspended ballast.

Singapore based offshore lifting company Coastline Maritime has mounted a Liebherr MTC 78000 heavy lift offshore crane onboard the heavy load vessel the OSA Sampson. With a total deadweight of roughly 1720t, Liebherr claims the MTC 78000 is one of the biggest offshore top-slewing cranes in world capable of lifting 1600t at 35m.

Australia’s first Tadano ATF130G-5 all terrain crane has been delivered to Goodline at its remote facillity in Port Hedland, Western Australia. As well as the 130 tonne capacity all terrain, the construction and maintenance company also took delivery of a Tadano GR-550EX rough terrain crane at the same time

Chinese tower crane manufacturer Yongmao showed its new 50 tonne capacity luffing jib tower crane at bauma China 2010. After the show the first unit goes to work on a site in Shanghai. The STL1000 was sold to Tat Hong China. It will join about 700 other Yongmao tower cranes in China, according to the manufacturer.

Comansa Jie, the Chinese joint venture tower crane manufacturer owned by Comansa of Spain and Jie Holding Group, is launching a new 18 tonne CJ 550 flat-top tower crane at Bauma China this week.

Ezra Holdings, the Singapore based marine services and support provider to the offshore oil & gas sector, says it has acquired a 60,000 Square Metres (650,000 sqft) fabrication facility in Houston, Texas at “distressed prices”. Ezra says the facility will allow it to fabricate customised cranes for modern offshore Oil & Gas vessels.

Three rail-mounted cranes manufactured by German manufacturer Kirow have been shipped from the Wallmann Terminal in Hamburg to a Chinese customer by project forwarder Kühne + Nagel onboard multipurpose vessel Rickmers Jakarta. The shipment is bound for Xingang, China, where it is scheduled to arrive in late November

Sany will show four new crawler cranes, the SCC500E, SCC3000WE, SCC3000 and the SCC16000 at the 2010 Bauma China exhibition. Most noticeable will be the SCC16000, a 1600 tonne capacity heavy lift crawler. Features of the 25000 tonne-metre giant include a modular design and super lift system.

Liebherr has delivered its 50th mobile harbour crane in Russia since it started in 1996. Over the last 15 years Liebherr has delivered at least one example of every different type of the mobile harbour crane it produces. Covering every type of freight, from container handling to bulk operations, from heavy lifts to general cargo.