1. The start

The company had to source rigging equipment from Texas for the job, including 150 US ton roll blocks, 85 US ton shackles, 150 ton steel/nylon slings and two 160 ton capacity lifting beams. “No one in the area had rigging on-hand capable of handling the job,” explained Stevenson Crane’s vice president of operations, John Edmonson. 


2. Half-way

The company used a 500-ton Liebherr LTM 1400 with Superlift package to make the initial lift. It held the unit while crews welded additional lifting eyes to the bottom of the box for a second, 400-ton crane to rig to for tilting procedures.


3. Nearly done

The two cranes were forced to set up in a confined space with only 40ft (12m) apart.  The rigging setup was planned precisely to allow enough head room for both the 500-ton boom and the slings to move through the roll blocks without tube locking the crane. 


Rigging equipment came from Houston

“The coordination between the two operators and these giant cranes to safely maneuver and make the lift was paramount,” Edmonson said.

The entire move was completed in eight hours.