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We selected the top ten shortlist but the decision was placed in the hands of you, our readers, to vote for your favourite lift and decide the number one spot in our 2024 TopLift competition. The results are in.

With votes collated from our print and digital readership, aided by our social media channels, we had a large turnout of responses this year. We’d like to thank everyone who got involved and made the effort to submit a vote. All the shortlisted lifts were worthy contenders that helped showcase the innovation and ground-breaking achievements of our industry.

The standout winner taking first place this year is heavy lift contractor Vanguard, who used a bespoke hydraulic gantry lifting system to upright a 650 tonne ship in South Africa. A very close second place is awarded to Allelys, who used a Liebherr LG 1550 all terrain crane to install a 160 tonne turbine and a 96 tonne generator through the roof of a 22.3 metre high turbine hall in the UK. Heavy lift giant Sarens’ 5,000 tonne capacity crane Big Carl takes the third place spot this year for its lifting work at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, also in the UK, where it installed a 750 tonne polar crane.

WINNER

ENTRY 1: Brilliant balance

Equipment user: Vanguard
Equipment used: Bespoke hydraulic gantry lifting systems
Location: South Africa

Specialist heavy lift contractor Vanguard up-righted the bark Europa, a 650 tonne, 44.5 metre long, 112-year-old sailing ship, after it tipped over in dry dock at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred waterfront in South Africa The 112-year-old ship had slipped from its keel supports during an operation to prepare for its return to the sea. (Photo: Vanguard)

Specialist heavy lift contractor Vanguard up-righted the bark Europa, a 650 tonne, 44.5 metre long, 112-year-old sailing ship, after it tipped over in dry dock at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred waterfront in South Africa. Lacking space for a crane, Vanguard engineered a custom solution using telescopic hydraulic gantries and strand jacks, completing the operation with precision and control.

The ship had slipped from its keel supports and rolled onto its starboard side during an operation to prepare for its return to the sea.

Working for US salvage specialist Resolve Marine, Vanguard was contracted to engineer and perform an up-righting operation and to realign the vessel with the centre line of the track system in the dry dock. A crane lift was not possible because of insufficient space surrounding the vessel to set up a suitably sized machine.

The answer was to use two telescopic hydraulic gantry lifting systems, positioned over the vessel between its masts, to minimise any further impact on the masts and rigging. Once the 400 and 600 tonne capacity lifting systems were in place, two header beams were positioned between them and four 186 tonne capacity strand jacks were installed between the header beams and the load.

The strand jacks were mounted atop the header beams and rigged to custom-made brackets on the keel at the bottom of the ship. Vanguard said this method provided a high degree of accuracy and enabled the team to lift and upright the vessel in a controlled and precise manner. After the vertical lift Vanguard completed a transverse skidding operation to realign the vessel with the dry dock track system.

Specialist heavy lift contractor Vanguard up-righted the bark Europa, a 650 tonne, 44.5 metre long, 112-year-old sailing ship, after it tipped over in dry dock at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred waterfront in South Africa Performing the up-righting operation to realign the vessel. (Photo: Vanguard)
Specialist heavy lift contractor Vanguard up-righted the bark Europa, a 650 tonne, 44.5 metre long, 112-year-old sailing ship, after it tipped over in dry dock at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred waterfront in South Africa Vanguard engineered a custom solution using telescopic hydraulic gantries and strand jacks. (Photo: Vanguard)
Specialist heavy lift contractor Vanguard up-righted the bark Europa, a 650 tonne, 44.5 metre long, 112-year-old sailing ship, after it tipped over in dry dock at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred waterfront in South Africa

SECOND PLACE

ENTRY 8: Crane gains

Equipment user: Allelys
Equipment used: LG 1550 all terrain crane
Location: England

UK-based heavy transport and lifting specialist Allelys minimised site disruption by using a crane to install a 160 tonne turbine and a 96 tonne generator through the roof Allelys used the all terrain to lift the components through a 22.3 metre high roof. (Photo: Allelys)

UK-based heavy transport and lifting specialist Allelys minimised site disruption by using a crane to install a 160 tonne turbine and a 96 tonne generator through the roof of a 22.3 metre high turbine hall in the UK.

The components were transported 33 miles (53 km) on specialized trailers and lifted into place by a Liebherr LG 1550 crane, overcoming structural challenges and space restrictions. The 22.3 metre building height meant the LG 1550 was configured with a luffing jib.

UK-based heavy transport and lifting specialist Allelys minimised site disruption by using a crane to install a 160 tonne turbine and a 96 tonne generator through the roof Bird’s eye view of the specialized lift. (Photo: Allelys)
UK-based heavy transport and lifting specialist Allelys minimised site disruption by using a crane to install a 160 tonne turbine and a 96 tonne generator through the roof The components were transported 33 miles (53 km) on specialized trailers. (Photo: Allelys)

THIRD PLACE

ENTRY 4: Heavy power

Equipment user: Sarens
Equipment used: SGC-250 ring crane
Location: England

Sarens’ 5,000 tonne capacity crane known as Big Carl was used to install a polar crane weighing 750 tonnes at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction project in the UK Big Carl lifting the polar crane into place. (Photo: Sarens)

Sarens’ 5,000 tonne capacity crane known as Big Carl was used to install a polar crane weighing 750 tonnes at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction project in the UK, one of the heaviest lifts made on the project to date.

The super heavy lift ring crane lifted and placed the polar crane into the first reactor building at the giant site in Somerset, south west England. Big Carl also installed the crane’s test weight structure, weighing another 715 tonnes.

The polar crane can rotate full circle inside the dome, lifting into place the reactor and the steam generators while the power station is being built. When the plant is in operation the crane will be used for refuelling the reactor and for maintenance.

The super heavy lift ring crane lifted and placed the polar crane into the first reactor building at the giant site in Somerset, south west England One of the heaviest lift to date for the UK nuclear power station project. (Photo: Sarens)

If your company has completed a job in the last couple of months, or if you do one before August 2025 that you think merits entry into next year’s TopLift competition, and-or it would make an interesting site report for International Cranes and Specialized Transport magazine or its website, please send details to the editor, Alex Dahm, at [email protected], or by post to: KHL Group, Southfields, Southview Road, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6TP, United Kingdom.

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D.Ann Shiffler Editor, American Cranes & Transport Tel: +1 512 869 8838 E-mail: [email protected]
Alex Dahm Editorial Manager Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786206 E-mail: [email protected]
Niamh Marriott Deputy Editor Tel: +44 (0) 1892 786208 E-mail: [email protected]
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