Vietnam's largest new dam under Potain towers

Seven Manitowoc Potain tower cranes are helping to construct the Son La Hydropower dam project in Vietnam.

The US$3.2 billion project is the largest of more than 12 major dam-building projects in Vietnam and the largest and most complex energy resource venture ever undertaken in South East Asia.

Commissioned by Vietnam Electricity Corp., construction of the Son La dam is under the control of main contractor Song Da Corp., a state-owned construction company and the largest contractor in Vietnam. Minh Chi, Manitowoc dealer for Potain tower cranes, supplied Song Da with the cranes for the project. They are two MD 2200s, three MD 900 Bs and two MC 310 K12s.

"The growing concern over energy is reaching every corner of the globe and here in Vietnam we are tackling the issue head-on. Because we have used Potain cranes on other dam projects with great success, we are certain they will keep us on track here," said Do Quang Loi, deputy general director of Song Da 5.

Five of the cranes, the MD 2200s and MD 900 Bs, have been on site since August 2008. Since their deployment, they have been working constantly, running three shifts, seven days a week.

The cranes are mostly pouring concrete and building the dam's penstock system and water intake. Each of the cranes is operating at a different height, ranging from 56 m to 86 m. The MD 2200s are working with 80 m jibs, and they have a capacity of 60 tonnes, while the MD 900Bs are working with 60 m jibs and have a capacity of 50 tonnes.