Precision in Heavy Lifting: Dismantling Project at Hamburg-Moorburg Power Plant Successfully Completed

During the dismantling of a conveyor system at the decommissioned Hamburg-Moorburg coal-fired power plant, crane operations required utmost precision and expertise. In total, six massive bridge segments had to be safely and efficiently removed – under strict requirements regarding load capacity, ground pressure, and logistics.

In close coordination with an engineering office, WASEL GmbH developed a well-thought-out dismantling concept.

The central challenge was to provide cranes with sufficient lifting capacity while ensuring that the permissible ground loads and ground pressures were not exceeded.

For this purpose, two mobile cranes from our fleet were deployed:

• LTM 1650-8.1 (700 t)
• LTM 1450-8.1 (450 t)

This combination enabled the safe execution of both single and tandem lifts of all bridge segments – even under demanding site conditions and at working heights of up to 37 meters.

The work began on the south side of the facility: after lifting a smaller bridge element, the team immediately faced the greatest challenge – a 52-meter-long bridge weighing 64 tonnes. Using a precise tandem lift, both cranes hoisted the massive structure and placed it onto SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) positioned between the crane site and the quay wall.

Following the successful dismantling of the second segment, including its supporting column, the 450-tonne crane was relocated to the north side. There, the remaining segments were dismantled in the same sequence.

Thanks to efficient planning and seamless cooperation with the Hagedorn Group, all dismantling work was completed one day ahead of schedule. 

While the 450-tonne crane returned to its base afterwards, the 700-tonne crane remained in operation: in the following week, it was already scheduled to support Hagedorn Service in the Rasslitz wind farm for the dismantling of decommissioned wind turbines.