Fifty LS 250 cranes delivered and a partnership on the rise. Liebherr celebrates an important achievement with Briese Schiffahrt as the 50th LS 250 ship crane joins their fleet. The crane will be installed on the vessel BBC Shanghai and is scheduled to depart from the yard in Asia at the end of November. This success highlights joint efforts to combine technical expertise with responsive service, ensuring reliable lifting solutions for global cargo operations. Together, both companies are committed to driving efficiency and preparing for future challenges in maritime logistics.
Advancing with time: Smarter solutions for heavy-lift operations
The partnership with Briese Schiffahrt began in 2014. Since then, Liebherr has supported the company’s growth with tailored solutions and continuous innovation. Delivering the 50th LS 250 crane marks a new chapter in a relationship built on trust and shared ambition to meet the evolving demands of heavy-lift shipping. ‘Our experience with Liebherr has been very positive. We are highly satisfied with the performance of the LS 250 ship cranes, offering excellent deck coverage and a balanced combination of outreach and lifting capacities. Working with Liebherr has always been straightforward and reliable. We see Liebherr as a long-term partner and look forward to continuing this cooperation in the years ahead,‘ explains Bernd Böning, Director Newbuilding at Briese Schiffahrt.
Over the years, continuous improvements have been made to meet changing market requirements and technological progress. Together with its customers, Liebherr has refined designs and introduced innovations that enhance efficiency, safety, and adaptability. Earlier models featured wide and tall booms and the slewing column used to have a uniform shape at the top and bottom. Today, the column features a slim, tapered design, and the boom itself has a more streamlined profile.
This offers key advantages: the cranes are designed to comply with the requirements of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes regulations, which apply to vessels navigating these waterways and connecting the Atlantic Ocean with inland routes. The overall design has shifted from a larger structure to more compact and space-efficient design. A high pivot point between the boom and the column creates more open space beneath the boom, increasing available deck area for storage. An advanced reeving system further enhances performance by routing the luffing rope through the boom’s centre, delivering optimised load curves across the full outreach range. In addition, the slim boom head is easy to integrate beside the deckhouse, requiring less installation space and improving vessel layout efficiency.
Innovations guide the future
In addition to the cranes, next to F-500 Briese introduced a second vessel design, the LakerMax series to enhance operational flexibility. There the bridge is positioned at the bow, creating additional deck space at the stern, a clear advantage for operational flexibility. Liebherr has contributed by extending the crane boom by three metres to 36 metres. While implementing these changes, the maximum lifting capacity of 250 tonnes at 18 metres could be kept. Furthermore, the hydraulic systems have been optimised to use only half the amount of hydraulic oil. Flexible hoses have been replaced with robust piping along the main lines ensuring a longer life cycle and reducing maintenance costs.
‘The delivery of the 50th LS 250 ship crane is more than a number. It reflects the strength of our collaboration with Briese Schiffahrt‘, says Robert Pitschmann, Global Application Manager for Heavy Lift Offshore and Ship Cranes at Liebherr in Rostock. ‘Together, we’ve pushed boundaries in design and performance, building cranes that meet today’s operational demands and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges. Our shared focus on efficiency, reliability, and innovation ensures that every delivery adds value to the fleet and to the industry.‘
Today’s heavy-lift operations call for more than strength alone; they benefit from intelligent control. The LS 250 meets this need with the Litronic system, which acts as the link between operator and crane. By providing real-time performance data and automatically managing load moments, the Litronic control system ensures the crane operates at optimal speed for any given load without manual intervention. The result is smoother, safer and highly efficient lifting cycle.
As the industry evolves, Liebherr continues to adapt and innovate. By focusing on efficiency, sustainability, and digitalisation, the company ensures its solutions remain future-ready while working closely with customers to meet changing demands. An extensive global sales and service network guarantees support wherever it is needed, reflecting the commitment of Liebherr to innovation and customer satisfaction.
