Gottwald Port Technology has launched a remote control for its HMK mobile and HSK portal harbour cranes.

The remote control, manufactured by HBC Radiomatic, reproduces the cabin-mounted controls – including LCD screen and joysticks.

According to sales manager Karl-Heinz Guenther, the system is HBC’s first radio remote control that is sold as standard with every harbour crane.

The remote control is particularly useful when repositioning the crane and changing lifting gear, Gottwald said. With a remote control, the operator can walk beside the crane, set down the crane’s props accurately and attach or remove rigging equipment from the hook.

“With a remote control system, the crane driver can move the crane from one job site to another by walking along beside the crane. Crane operators do not need additional staff to provide guidance in order to avoid accidents when moving the crane,” said Giuseppe Di Lisa, Gottwald sales director.

The control has three displays – one for feedback of data generated from the crane, such as wheel position – and the other two show the functions active on the joysticks. It is available for cranes over 63t lifting capacity.

Gottwald has supplied remote-controlled cranes to Sapec Agro in the port of Setúbal, Portugal and the , Northern Container Terminal at the Port of Le Havre in France.

“Buyers of new crawler cranes do not very often ask for radio,” admits HBC’s Guenther, “but if they have one than they ask for more.” He estimates the company has supplied 20 crawler cranes with radio remote systems.

Again, the main application is job sites where it is hard for the operator working in the cab to see the hook. “In some cases you need two guys to work the crane. Even if one has a walkie-talkie, he does not see what is happening. In this special situation it is good to have a radio remote control – it gives a much better overview of the situation. In some cases it is better to work from the cabin. You cannot say that if a crane is equipped with a radio control that the operator always uses it. Big tower cranes are the same.”

He adds that HBC controls are also sold as standard on Liebherr’s Speirings-style truck-mounted tower cranes, the MK 80 and MK 100.