The world’s largest crane, the Sarens SGC-250, has completed its first major lift at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in the UK. 

This is the first in a series of more than 700 lifts that the SGC-250 will perform here over the next four years, on behalf of client Bylor and project owner EDF/ NNB. The loads will range from precast concrete elements to pipe sections, steel rings, and machinery equipment weighing from 10 to 1.600 tonnes. The SGC-250 will also lift five major parts of each unit’s steel containment liner and dome.

There is truly nothing too large for this massive crane: the SGC-250 has a maximum load moment of 250.000TM, enabling astonishing 5.000-tonne lifts! Even at a greater radius of 100 metres, it can still lift 2.000T loads.

The SGC-250 was designed in-house and specially engineered according to the clients’ lifting schedule. It will work from three different lift locations on site, traveling via rail to reach each of them. This flexibility and mobility is a key feature of the SGC-250: it has two sets of wheels designed both for 360° slewing and for travel between lift positions. The SGC-250’s ability to relocate, fully-rigged, from one lift position to another makes it one of the most unique cranes in the global heavy lifting industry. 

The SGC-250 travelled to Hinkley Point via ship and road transport. Half of the components for the crane arrived at the Avonmouth port via ship while others came in via road. Some 400 truck loads transported the SGC-250 modules to the site, where the crew worked to assemble the massive crane over a limited 10-week timespan.

For more on the Sarens SGC-250 crane, please check out this video!