Largest floating crane in China goes into service

A huge floating crane weighing 3,600 metric tons is launched in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Jan 9, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A huge floating crane weighing 3,600 metric tons was launched in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Monday.

The crane, which was designed by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co and manufactured by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation in Qingdao, has the largest lifting capacity and highest lift height of any crane in the country.

Measuring 118.9 meters in length by 48 meters wide and with a navigational draft of 4.8 meters, the crane has a four-story building on its deck and a main lifting hook that can reach as high as 110 meters above the water level.

It cost 340 million yuan ($49 million) to build and will first be utilized in the construction of the Pingtan cross-strait highway-railway bridge, according to Liu Ziming, chairman of China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group.