Liebherr 11000 Flexes Its Muscles at Iowa Fertilizer

The vessel lifted measured 160 feet long and had a diameter of 16 feet. This project required numerous lifts ranging from 200,000 pounds to 900,000 pounds. It took 65 truckloads to move the massive crane to the jobsite, where a $1.8 billion OCI NV fertilizer plant is being constructed. Some 25 to 30 cranes are working at the site, but none as large or as impressive as the LR 11000, according to Jerry Masten, project manager, Buckner Heavylift Cranes.

The crane arrived in April and was assembled and tested before starting its first lifting work in May.

For its first lift, the crane lifted a 680,000-pound absorbtion vessel at a radius of 99 feet. The LR 11000 was rigged using 900,000 pounds of counterweight on the suspended ballast tray. The crane was rigged with 217 feet of main boom and 78 feet of luffing jib.