Customers seek equipment that protects throughput and operating hours. Liebherr’s portfolio pairs class‑leading lift with e‑drive configurations and retrofit paths, aligning with lifecycle planning and delivering reliable performance under demanding, day‑to‑day conditions.
In 2025, Liebherr mobile harbour cranes closed the year with a commanding majority of global new orders. This resulted in a record market share. The development underscores a consistent preference among terminal operators for proven mobile harbour crane options. Heavy‑lift mobile harbour cranes remained central as ports expanded cargo profiles without extending fixed infrastructure. Electric drive configurations continued to gain traction, offering measurable local emission reductions while maintaining full performance. Portal slewing cranes further supported bulk operations where berth efficiency and steady cycle times were critical. Together, these elements shaped a robust order position extending into 2026 planning.
Andreas Ritschel, General Manager Sales Mobile Harbour Cranes at Liebherr‑Rostock GmbH, noted: ‘In 2025, we reinforced our role as a partner for quality and reliability by focusing on solutions that perform consistently under real terminal conditions. As leading manufacturer of heavy‑duty mobile harbour cranes, we design our cranes to deliver strength, precision and longevity, whether through advanced electric drive concepts, highly responsive control systems or structurally robust designs. Models such as the LHM 800 combine class leading lifting power with designs proven over years of operation and customer feedback, delivering high availability and long service life under demanding duty cycles. So terminals gain measurable efficiency without trading off reliability or operating hours.’
Electric drive and lifting capacity reflect operational priorities
Throughout 2025, customer demand clearly favoured solutions that paired high lifting capacity with credible energy strategies. Electric drive specifications increasingly formed part of long‑term fleet planning, supported by retrofit options and compatibility with diverse grid conditions. At the same time, heavy‑lift capability remained non‑negotiable for terminals handling steel, project cargo and oversized units alongside established flows.
Project highlights from 2025 deployments
Several projects delivered during 2025 illustrate how this market confidence translated into operational reality. At DP World Constanța, Romania, electric Liebherr mobile harbour cranes expanded multi‑purpose handling capability by combining container and heavy‑lift operations on a single platform. In Türkiye, an electrically driven LPS portal slewing crane at Nuh Çimento’s port improved bulk throughput while reducing time in berth. Northern Europe also recorded continued investment, with an LHM 550 strengthening heavy‑lift operations at BLG LOGISTICS’ terminal in Bremerhaven, Germany.
A defining moment came with the handover of Liebherr’s 2,000th mobile harbour crane, a uniquely-designed LHM 600 delivered to Marcegaglia in Ravenna, Italy. Produced in Rostock, the milestone crane marked five decades of mobile harbour crane manufacturing and highlighted long‑standing customer partnerships built on technical continuity.
With confirmed orders scheduled for build and delivery throughout 2026, Liebherr mobile harbour cranes enter the year with strong planning certainty. Supported by a global sales and service network and a portfolio refined through real‑world application, the company continues to enable terminals worldwide to invest with confidence and clarity.
On Thursday, 2 April 2026, the Liebherr Group will publish its latest annual report. In addition to detailed figures, it will include a magazine section looking back on the past financial year.