Hong Kong heights

Contractor Gammon Construction Limited is using a Liebherr 160 HC-L 8/16 Litronic luffing jib tower crane to build the terminus station on the Hong Kong MTR's West Island Line.

The site is at the corner of a busy junction, bounded on two sides by roads and backed by apartment tower blocks. The 16 tonne capacity crane was supplied by Shriro Machinery Ltd, Liebherr distributor for Hong Kong.

"The Kennedy Town site is incredibly small for the use of a tower crane," says William Tang, Shriro Machinery manager. "A luffing jib unit was essential, and the specifications of the 160 HC-L, which can handle hook heights of up to 296 m but has a compact slewing radius of just 7 m, proved to be the most appropriate."