A Liverpool-built ship, Sterling Steel, was moved from its longstanding position in the docks as John Sutch Cranes completed a planned lifting operation in Birkenhead, England.
The vessel, originally constructed by Cammell Laird in 1974, had been left unused for several years after its owner ceased involvement in the marine sector.
The 31t Sterling Steel, with a steel hull that had aged over nearly five decades, had previously seen extensive service before being abandoned.
Instead of being scrapped at the site, the ship was preserved in storage as a goodwill gesture until arrangements could be made for its transfer.
John Sutch Cranes coordinated the operation from its Liverpool and Manchester depots.
The lift was carried out using the company’s GMK5200-1 crane, with additional support provided by a charity crane from the Manchester depot.
All aspects of the lifting and rigging were carefully planned due to the vessel’s age and unknown structural state.
John Sutch Cranes technical sales representative Phil Miller oversaw the lift and rigging plans.
Miller said: “There’s no room for guesswork on a lift like this. We’re talking about a 50-year-old hull where you don’t know exactly what state the steel’s in until you’re under load.
“Every rigging point, every angle, every tonne had to be right before the crane even turned up. It’s a big responsibility bringing a ship like that to the end of her journey, and I’m proud of how the team handled it – textbook stuff from start to finish. The police were on hand at the end to escort her to her final destination.”
The company referred to its longstanding ties with the Mersey’s marine industry and highlighted the significance of overseeing the closure of the vessel’s journey.
The final movement of Sterling Steel marks the end of a chapter in the vessel’s history, with the lift carried out in line with planned safety protocols and industry regulations.
In June 2026, John Sutch Cranes carried out a lifting operation for BAM at the Victoria Building on the Blackburn College campus. The work involved deploying a 300t crane.
