Press Release

Ref: PRCSH110
Date: 10th January 2017

World's largest hydraulic crane heads to

ABP Port of Garston 

High resolution image for download

The Port of Garston in Liverpool, UK, is set to become home to the world's largest hydraulic crane when the machine completes its journey from Finland later this month.

A Mantsinen 200M - the largest machine of its type and the first to come to the UK - is being supplied to ABP by Cooper Specialised Handling, which will also oversee its installation on the north bank of the River Mersey.

As shipping companies increase the size of their vessels to drive down costs, the speed at which ports can load and unload ships is vital to improving their turnaround times and overall efficiency. Thanks to the versatility of the Mantsinen 200M, which can discharge vessels of more than 7,000dwt with ease, ABP can now handle any load from any vessel that can pass through the lock at the Port of Garston.

The UK's leading port operator is also set to enhance operating efficiencies at its Liverpool facility, as the new machine combines the capacity of a traditional mobile harbour crane with the speed of a hydraulic crane to deliver fast, accurate cargo handling at a rate of up to 1,000 tonnes per hour. As well as benefitting from faster, accurate cargo handling, the Port of Garston will be able to adapt to shipments and other cargo types as its business grows.

Crucially, the Mantsinen 200M is the only material handler of hydraulic design that satisfies the Port of Garston's requirement to handle a 25 tonne load plus attachment weight from the far side of the widest vessel.

"Tony Rooney, Managing Director of Cooper Specialised Handling, said: "We're really excited that the world's largest hydraulic crane will be helping ABP to take productivity to the next level at the Port of Garston.

"What is really impressive about the Mantsinen 200M is itsability to cycle much faster than a mobile harbour crane while handling the same weight, and to switch from handling steel coils to dry bulks in a matter of minutes.Thanks to its speed and precision, the Mantsinen 200Mis set to play a major role in the port's future expansion."

Covering an area of 65 acres, the port currently handles around 500,000 tonnes of cargo a year, and with easy links to the M56, M62, and M6 motorways, it is a natural gateway to the industrial heartlands of the North West of England.

Carl Bevan,ABP's Divisional Port Manager at Garston, said: "Our decision to invest in the latest crane technology is part of our growth and sustainability strategy for the Port of Garston and will make sure the facility is fit for the future.

"Cooper Specialised Handling came up with a cost-effective, customised solution that satisfies our diverse cargo handling requirements and will support our plans to grow the business by enabling us to operate more effectively and compete across all sectors."

The contract for the new Mantsinen 200M at the Port of Garston is one of five separate deals, with an overall value of £6million, which the heavy lifting division of Cooper Handling has concluded with ABP. Cranes have already been delivered to Teignmouth and Swansea, while machines are also destined for the ports of Ipswich and King's Lynn as part of ABP's £1billion investment programme to support its customers with innovative logistics solutions.

Caption: The world's largest hydraulic crane, a Mantsinen 200M, will take productivity to the next level when it goes into service at ABP's Garston facility.

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Editor's Notes

Cooper Handling Group operates in all sectors of lifting and materials handling across the UK and Ireland. Cooper Specialised Handling is its heavy handling division and is the exclusive UK distributor for Meclift and Sany equipment, sole importer and distributor for Mantsinen cranes and a specialist in Konecranes lift trucks. The company has a specialist aftersales division, Cooper Handling Solutions, while Cooper Materials Handling specialises in industrial forklift trucks and is the UK distributor for the Maximal brand.  Independently owned, Cooper offers total solutions for forklifts from 6 to 60 metric tonnes and a complete range of hydraulic cranes for solid and bulk handling. It provides high quality, high value products and reliable service to customers who operate in the toughest sectors across freight, ports, inter-modal terminals and other heavy lifting industries, together with a broad range of industrial materials handling applications from manufacturing to distribution.

Media contact:

Martine Layland

CHANGEWORKS Communications Limited
t: + 44 (0) 1785 247588
e: mlayland@changeworkscom.co.uk

Company contact:

Natasha Barnes

Business Development Manager

Cooper SH Limited
Holly Farm Business Park
Honiley
Kenilworth
Warwickshire
CV8 1NP
United Kingdom

Tel: 01926 658900
email:natasha@cooperhandling.com

W:www.cooperhandling.com