A job with a view
Martin Gerullis was the crane operator for the gigantic TCC 78000 heavy lift crane in Rostock harbour for five years before he was bitten by the wanderlust bug again. As a service technician, he is now travelling the world again to work for Liebherr.
For the past five years, a structure that towers seven metres above Cologne Cathedral has been enthroned directly on the quayside of Rostock harbour. When the TCC 78000 heavy-duty crane raises its jib, it reaches an incredible height of 164 metres, making it a true beacon in the region.
The “crane of superlatives”, with a lifting capacity of up to 1,600 tonnes, is one of the most powerful land-based harbour cranes in the world and the largest gantry crane Liebherr has ever built. TCC stands for Travelling Cargo Crane. On a 420-metre-long track with a track width of 30 metres, the 5,500-tonne steel giant, painted grey, white, and red, can lift components from the company premises directly over the quayside and also move them. ‘Erecting a crane of this size here in Rostock was something special for all our employees’, says Martin Gerullis from Liebherr Rostock.
The Kühlungsborn native and married father of a 15-year-old daughter was the first crane operator of the TCC 78000 and has successfully carried out numerous loads with it. He is particularly impressed by the power and accuracy of the crane. ‘I can move a load of 1,000 tonnes with the TCC just as smoothly and precisely as 1 tonne. If a component needs to be turned just 1 cm to the left, the crane can do it without any problems.’
India, Angola, Spain, the Bahamas or Belgium. Thanks to my job, I've travelled a lot and been able to see a lot of the world.
Martin Gerullis during loading of a mobile harbour crane. Even from the ground, the TCC 78000 can be controlled with millimetre precision.
His highlight? Tasmania! ‘While we were erecting the crane in the harbour, little wallabies were sitting behind a fence and watching us work. And when I thought seagulls were flying overhead, they were actually white parrots. These are memories that you never forget’, Martin enthuses about the island of Under Down Under. The mentality and the life of the people have left their mark on him. The acceptance into the community, the socialising after work, and the certainty that after a long day, work can stay work while you have a beer in the pub with your colleagues. Martin looks back fondly on these experiences and is glad to have taken this step. ‘When my daughter was little, she was asked at school to write down who her greatest hero is. She wrote “Daddy, because he travels all over the world and builds cranes”. Those are moments when you're bursting with pride and feel vindicated that you've made the right decision.’
After many assignments abroad, however, he returned to his home port of Rostock in 2019. Martin became a crane operator for the then new TCC 78000, and then team coordinator of the four-strong TCC team from 2023. ‘Mutual trust and close coordination are extremely important in such a responsible job. You always have to remember that: We use the crane to move components that are unimaginably heavy and sometimes worth several million euros. On such large projects, every colleague must be able to rely on the others one hundred per cent’, Martin emphasises.
He also always tries to make the dimensions tangible in his circle of acquaintances. ‘I like to take the following example: a current model of VW Golf estate weighs around 1.6 tonnes and is about 4 metres long. So we can lift the weight of 1,000 VW Golf estate cars with one TCC lift, which would form a car chain of 4 kilometres when lined up.’ It is these gigantic dimensions that fascinate Martin.
‘The planning, the preparations and the selection of suitable tools and their use for the respective project are what make the job so exciting. There are always new challenges and you are constantly encouraged to think outside the box, take responsibility and make decisions.’
Since 1 August 2024, Martin Gerullis has been back on the road for Liebherr worldwide as a service technician. He will still miss the breathtaking view from the TCC 78000.
Thinking outside the box, tackling and mastering challenges - this is important to Martin in his work. So it's no wonder that he has the wanderlust again. After careful consideration and discussions with his family, his decision is clear: he wants to work for Liebherr again as a service technician, travel the world and get to know new cultures.
‘I grew up in the village, where you spent your holidays on your own farm. During my first time as a service technician, I saw how colourful the world is and also discovered countries that are not classic travel destinations. I would now like to experience all of this again and am grateful that Liebherr is giving me this opportunity a second time.’ He has been working internationally as a service technician again since 1 August 2024.
I have learnt to appreciate what it means to have a secure and reliable employer behind me, who gives me the opportunity for professional development. I have always grown personally with every new task at Liebherr.
‘I realise that I probably won't be able to do this until I retire. That was also an argument in favour of the internal transfer, because Liebherr offers me many opportunities to return to the Rostock plant afterwards and take on a different role’, says Martin, pleased with his future prospects. ‘Here, I have learnt to appreciate what it means to have a secure and reliable employer behind me that gives me the opportunity for professional development. I have always grown personally with every new task at Liebherr.’
Even though many of Martin's former service technician colleagues now work as operations managers in the Liebherr Rostock administration department, for example: An office job is not (yet) an option for Martin: ‘I like being outside and getting my hands dirty too much for that’, he says with a smile on his face.
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