A Link-Belt Cranes TCC-2500 telescopic crawler crane is being used by Ferrovial Construcción in Puerto Rico as part of a major infrastructure scheme aimed at improving the Río Piedras river.
The work falls under a contract awarded by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Caribbean District, with investment in the project totalling $1.6bn.
The foundation stage of the scheme has placed key demands on heavy equipment, with the TCC-2500 handling tasks such as tandem lifting of 50,000lb drilled shaft rebar cages and sheet piling installation.
According to Ferrovial Construcción project manager Jorge Nogales, the crane has now logged more than 2,500 working hours since its arrival on site in April 2025.
Nogales said: “The TCC-2500 is suitable for this job because of its capacity. And since it is a crawler crane, I believe it is more versatile than other types of cranes for the particular ground conditions of the site.
“The long telescopic boom adapts to almost all of the project’s lifting operations: from lifting rebar cages to unloading and loading heavy materials and equipment, installing a temporary steel bridge, among others.”
The project, managed from San Juan by Ferrovial Construcción, is intended to deliver long-term economic benefits.
USACE has estimated average annual savings of $126m through reduced flood damage and forecasts the creation of over 10,000 local jobs as a result of the investment.
USACE Caribbean District commander Charles Decker describing the initiative in a statement published earlier by USACE said: “This contract represents a significant step forward in our shared commitment to reduce flood risk for the people of San Juan. The Río Puerto Nuevo Project is a generational investment in public safety and resilience.”
The full scope of work for the initiative covers phased channel improvements along the Río Piedras river and is scheduled to take place over the next decade.
In July 2026, State Service, an EPC contractor, deployed a fleet of Link-Belt crawler cranes at an offshore drilling platform site near Ingleside, Texas, US, for handling steel components for large modular construction activities.
