Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes was able to rely on a solid order backlog at the beginning of 2020, which was already installed in 2019. Also, with some incoming orders, the first quarter of 2020 was very optimistic. A decline in orders was certainly evident at the beginning of the second quarter of 2020.
Current projects, however, were not cancelled but were delayed. In the market, a certain amount of uncertainty was felt, but this behavior was very reasonable and understandable in this never-before-seen situation. Positively speaking, these postponed decisions led to an extended summer break, but not to a drastic downturn.
Despite the slight drop in sales in the course of the worldwide lockdown, our equipment continued to operate at ports around the world. Although the flow of goods declined for a short time, ports are systemically important, so service and support from our customer service continued to be in demand.
The worldwide well-positioned Liebherr service network has helped a lot during this time and through local mixed sales companies, dealers and partners we are always on site at the customer's location.
Trade fairs and customer visits that were cancelled due to travel restrictions were also well compensated by online trade fairs, online webinars and online talk shows. In this way, our sales staff were able to maintain contact with our customers, although online offers naturally do not replace personal contact.
The Mobile Harbour Crane market was lively throughout the entire period. With the beginning of the fourth quarter 2020, we also felt a substantial recovery. We have sold LHM equipment on every continent in the 4th quarter 2020 and ended the year with an order intake slightly above the level of 2019.
The purely electrical driven LPS 420 E gantry crane has more than proven itself in cargo handling at the Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port. NCSP Group has ordered two more units of this type and expects crane number two to be delivered shortly. NCSP is thus taking a further step towards an emission-free port and is developing into an environmentally conscious role model in the industry.
In Argentina Liebherr sold an LHM 420 to Euroamérica in Campana. This was the first crane of its type in this South American country, it was also the first mobile harbour crane to be assembled with the help of Liebherr's new Remote Service App. Salerno Container Terminal in Italy has received its second LHM 800 in the high rise version and is thus further expanding its capacities. In Africa Liebherr recently sold two LHM 550 to the customer Ghana Ports and Harbour.
Four LHM 550s were delivered to the customer ISO Limited in New Zealand. The machines are equipped with a wood grab and take timber handling there to a new level. In North America, Liebherr placed the first Liebherr mobile harbour crane in the US state of Louisiana. An LHM 550 will soon go into operation there for bulk handling at the customer Port of Lake Charles.
Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH is one of the leading European manufacturers of maritime material handling solutions. The product range comprises ship, mobile harbour and offshore cranes. Reachstackers and components for container cranes are also included in the product portfolio.
Maritime Business World