Ajos Potains on record bridge

Danish crane rental company and Potain dealer Ajos has supplied two MDT 128 topless cranes to contractor MT Hojgaard for work on the construction of the Hardanger Bridge in Norway.

The Hardanger Bridge will be one of the longest suspension bridges in the world at 1,310 metres. The six tonne capacity cranes are placing suspension cables, and making other lifts, at the top of one of the bridge's pylons, where working heights exceed 200 m.

The MDT 128s have the 50 LVF GH Optima winch, and both are working on four falls of wire rope. This allows the cranes to lift their maximum capacity, and also allows both high-speed hook operation and more precise movements when placing loads in their final position. The cranes are configured with 35 m jibs.

Assembling the cranes presented a challenge as steep valley walls lead down to the base of the pylon. There was limited space at ground level. The cranes are on a platform half way up the pylon, meaning that they cannot be reached from ground level and will be dismantled by helicopter.