UK’s first Liebherr LH 120 M in operation

One of Liebherr’s largest mobile material handlers has gone into service at Ridham Sea Terminals Ltd in Kent, which handles over 500 000 tpy of dry cargo and can accommodate vessels of up to 5000 DWT.

General Manager John Gevaux-Ross explained: “One of our Stothert and Pitt cranes became uneconomical to repair meaning we were a crane down. To ensure we kept up with our commitments, we hired in Liebherr machinery from port handling specialists JST. It was then we realised that a new Liebherr material handler was the way forward for our operation.”

JST’s Managing Director John Scott helped the management team specify its new material handler, which was manufactured at Liebherr’s Kirchdorf plant in Germany. A key requirement was the capability to travel the length of the almost 0.25 mile quayside with ease so the LH 120 M was ordered with a highly mobile wheeled undercarriage.

Ridham Sea Terminals Ltd has also opted for the hydraulic cab elevation system, which allows the cab to be lowered to the ground and gives the operator unparalleled views across a vessel’s hold from a maximum height of 8.1 m. From this spacious and quiet cab, the LH 120 M can change from a 6 m3 clamshell grab to a suspended load hook in under a minute thanks to its quick-coupling device. A 15 m angled boom and 13.5 m industrial dipper stick give a maximum working radius of 26 m at ground level and the potential lifting capacity is almost 7 t.

The 140 t machine benefits from the ultimate in stable working platforms created by two pairs of hydraulically adjustable legs in an X formation with large bore hydraulic cylinders that are lowered to the ground to take the machine’s weight. When fully extended the LH 120 M is supported over an area of 110 m².

543 HP is provided by the material handler’s 16 litre V8 engine, which meets Tier 3 emissions requirements and has four operating modes: Sensitive, Eco, Power and Power Plus. In its first few months of operation, the new LH 120 M has been trouble free and extremely productive, ensuring that the port can meet its deadlines with the shipping companies. At the same time, fuel consumption has been reduced and operator comfort has been greatly enhanced.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/16032017/uks-first-liebherr-lh-120-m-in-operation/