Nornickel has purchased ten Liebherr LHM-420 mobile cranes for the Polar Transport Division in Dudinka. Six of them are already operating at the port, while two cranes are in the process of being assembled, and two additional cranes will arrive before the end of 2021. Investments in the purchase of the equipment amounted to almost 3.5 billion roubles.

Alexander Zavgorodny, Acting Deputy Director, Production Asset Management of the Polar Transport Division of Nornickel commented: “The new cranes are manufactured in Germany and are delivered via the Northern Sea Route to Dudinka. They are installed on site and assembled by Liebherr specialists. The installation of two new cranes will be completed at the end of the summer, while it will take a month to register the equipment with Rostekhnadzor. They will be in operation in October.”

The equipment was purchased as part of a three-year mobile crane fleet renewal programme, which started in 2019. Its completion coincides with the 20th anniversary of Liebherr mobile cranes operation at the Dudinka seaport.

Alexey Novakov, Head of Polar Transport Division, said: “Over the years, Liebherr has proven itself as a very reliable partner. Apart from cranes, large number of machines such as excavators, bulldozers, timber handlers are also in operation. Considering development plans of our company and, subsequently development plans for our port, I am sure that this fleet will only be expanding.”

The first Liebherr-250 mobile cranes were specially developed to meet the requirements of the Dudinka seaport, for the first time in the history of crane engineering. This machinery has a lifting capacity of 64 tonnes, and can operate in temperatures as low as −50°C. Its distinctive feature is the pneumatic wheeled self-propelled chassis. It enables the cranes to move across loading sites and roads independently, without a crane track, powered by its engine. This shortens stoppages in port operations due to annual flooding of the berths.

Alexey Novakov commented: “The first Liebherr cranes fundamentally changed the operation of the port. We stopped using crane tracks that were utilised for gantry cranes. By two to three weeks, and sometimes for a whole month, we reduced stoppages in port operations, as our berths are flooded every spring. The main objective is to resume operations as quickly as possible and restart cargo handling. What is so good about mobile cranes? As soon as the water drains, they go down and start loading and unloading works.”

There are currently 22 Liebherr cranes in operation at the Polar Transport Division. Six of them are of the LHM-420 modification. The main difference is the lifting capacity chart: the 371-tonne crane, with an outreach of up to 48 metres, can lift and lower up to 124 tonnes — twice as much as its predecessor. Equipped with a hybrid drive unit, it can lower and lift the cargo at speeds of up to 120 m/min and move up to 38 containers per hour. The system is designed to operate in sea conditions at temperatures from −45°C to +40°C.

The Polar Transport Division has adopted a large-scale port technical upgrade programme, which, along with the purchase of machinery and equipment, provides for additional infrastructure expansion. In implementing the programme, there are plans to invest up to 14 billion roubles, including 8 billion roubles in the construction of two sea and two river berths, 3.5 billion roubles for the purchase of five cranes and other trans-shipment equipment, and 3 billion roubles for the development of warehouse and consumer infrastructure.

It is also planned to increase the port’s cargo capacity by 0.7-1 million tonnes per year, including 0.3-0.5 million tonnes by sea, which will require investment of up to 26 billion roubles.

The increase in cargo turnover and the expansion of the Polar Transportation Division’s infrastructure are related to the implementation of Nornickel’s major investment projects in the Norilsk Industrial District. Nornickel’s logistics capabilities will also open a transport corridor for year-round delivery of cargo of the Vostok Oil project. A relevant cooperation agreement was signed this year at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Nornickel upgrades port infrastructure in Dudinka