Working towards an effective energy transition in Germany: Dillinger supplies steel for Liebherr’s HLC 295000 heavy lift crane

High-strength steel from Dillinger, measuring up to 220 mm in thickness, has been used for Liebherr’s largest ever heavy-duty crane, the HLC 295000.

The crane comes into its own in the dismantling of disused offshore oil and gas production facilities, as well as in the installation of foundations for offshore wind turbines, as was recently the case at the Arcadis Ost 1 wind farm off the island of Rügen. Other steel products are also paving the way for an effective energy transition here: Steelwind Nordenham, a Dillingen Group company, supplied XXL monopiles for the wind farm; the largest ever required for such a purpose in Europe.

Dillingen. The steel supplied by Dillinger for the heavy-duty crane meets special requirements for yield strength, impact strength, and Z-grades, i.e. specific properties related to plate thickness. The HLC 295000 heavy-duty crane, which has a maximum lifting height of 175 metres, was manufactured at the Liebherr site in Rostock and installed on the “Orion”, a purpose-built vessel of the Belgian DEME Group. It embodies a new generation of Liebherr offshore cranes and stands for exceptional efficiency, speed and intelligent technology. The crane’s compact design makes it ideal for the offshore sector. It’s base column of just 16.8 metres in diameter is unequalled on the market. Plus, a maximum load capacity of 5,000 tonnes and a jib of up to 151 metres means the HLC is capable of moving large components with precision.

The heavy-duty crane is chiefly being used to lift offshore foundations and associated platforms during the dismantling of disused offshore oil and gas production facilities, as well as for the installation of the ever-growing offshore wind power components.

“Thinking ahead to tomorrow today is one of our core principles,” explains Dr. Karl-Ulrich Köhler, Chairman of the Management Board and Director of Sales at Dillinger. “Liebherr’s HLC 295000 and the steel supplied by Dillinger are key tools in this context, helping us to play an active role in shaping the energy transition ourselves.”