Manitowoc crawler cranes absorb the impact at Russian plant

A Manitowoc 18000 crawler crane completed ten of the largest lifts in recent Russian history. In order to lift a number of massive absorbers at a gas processing plant in southwest Russia, SWTRANS, a specialized transport and installation company, called in a 750 t Manitowoc 18000, which is one of the largest cranes in Russia.

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The crane worked to a tight deadline at the Kazachya plant in Anapa in freezing conditions to install the absorbers that weighed up to 230 t each. The crane completed the job flawlessly, much to the delight of Egorov Roman Valerievich, heavy equipment engineer at the company.

“Once again, the 18000 crawler crane’s impressive reach and lift capabilities combined with a simple erection plan proved to be the difference on what would have been an otherwise tough jobsite,” he said. “With a piece of advanced machinery such as this crane available to customers, SWTRANS can transport and install even the largest loads, allowing us to meet the growing demand for oversized transport and assembly in Russia.”

The Manitowoc 18000 travelled more than 5,000 km from a previous project to the gas plant. Once on site, the team from SWTRANS quickly assembled the crane with a 42 m boom, and immediately set it to work.

Before each giant absorber arrived at the plant by truck, the 18000 was maneuvered into positon to off-load and move them into place. Despite the size of the giant containers – each absorber measures 22 m tall and 6 m wide – the crane’s accurate control and smooth movement made light work of the task. And, along with the experience of SWTRANS operators, the crane installed all ten absorbers to within tolerances of millimeters.

SWTRANS used its Manitowoc 18000 to complete a similarly challenging lift at a Siberian oil refinery last year, so the company was prepared for the job site conditions in Anapa. Both projects show the growing demand for industry-leading machinery and oversized transport in Russia.

Manitowoc’s 18000 offers a 600 t capacity and up to 98 m reach on the main boom. Its capacity can be increased to 750 t with the MAX-ER attachment while reach can be extended to almost 160 m with the luffing jib.

The work at Kazachya gas process plant in Russia’s Krasnodar region was part of the Southern Corridor project, which will supply gas to the region, as well as ensure the supply of gas to central and southern regions of Russia. The absorbers are used to remove moisture and impurity from gas.