Liebherr cranes supported construction of the world’s first artificial energy island in Vlissingen

The “Princess Elisabeth Energy Island” represents a globally unique initiative: the first artificial island designed to consolidate and distribute offshore wind energy. To meet the demanding construction requirements, the Belgian project stakeholders have chosen Liebherr’s advanced crane technology. A total of seven Liebherr tower cranes were deployed on site, contributing significantly to the realisation of this landmark energy infrastructure.

A landmark island project by Liebherr Technology for a sustainable future

Developed by TM Edison, the project forms part of Belgium’s offshore strategy and will serve as a hub for wind energy generated by North Sea wind farms, transmitting it to the European mainland. Situated approximately 45 kilometres off the Belgian coast, the island is anchored to the seabed and featured an impressive array of Liebherr cranes: one 1000 EC-H 50, one 550 EC-H 40 Litronic, three 340 EC B models, one 245 EC-H 12 Litronic and one 280 EC-H 16 Litronic. Out of the total seven cranes one 1000 EC-H 50 Litronic, two 340 EC-B 16 and the 550 EC-H were provided by Van Der Spek Belgium.The crane selection was made purposely, thanks to their high load capacities, accurate control systems, and efficiency in confined spaces, the EC-B and EC-H models were ideally suited for the modular construction of the island’s massive concrete structures. In particular, the high-top cranes such as the 1000 EC-H 50, with lifting capacities of up to 50 tonnes, provided the necessary performance to safely and efficiently handle the heavy components. With hook heights and jib lengths tailored to the specific site requirements, these cranes ensured continuous and timely progress on the construction schedule.

A symbol of international engineering excellence

The “Princess Elisabeth Energy Island” is not only a major technical undertaking but also a symbol of the European energy transition. Liebherr is proud to have contributed to this forward-looking project with its reliable and high-performance crane technology. The smooth operation of the cranes on the construction site demonstrated that Liebherr system solutions deliver outstanding results even under challenging logistical and climatic conditions.