From Locomotives to Our New Tower Crane

A busy day at Lyttelton Port saw multiple heavy lifting operations take place simultaneously as major infrastructure equipment arrived aboard the same vessel.

Our team successfully unloaded KiwiRail locomotives and lifted them onto the rail network using the Demag AC 350-6 alongside the Grove GMK5220. Careful planning and coordination ensured the operation was completed safely and efficiently within the busy port environment.

Also arriving was the newest addition to the Smith Cranes fleet – a second Kroll K1650L tower crane, destined for the new Dunedin Hospital project. Featuring a 69m main boom, a maximum tip height of 143m, and a 135t lifting capacity, it joins the first K1650L already in our fleet. Together, they make Smith Cranes the operator of New Zealand's two largest luffing tower cranes, further strengthening our capability to deliver complex heavy lifting projects across the country.

It was a successful day of coordinated logistics, precision lifting, and the movement of major infrastructure through one of New Zealand's busiest ports.

A big thank you to Lyttelton Port Christchurch and KiwiRail for their support and collaboration in helping make the day's operations a success.