The HLC (Heavy Lift Crane) 295000 – the largest crane Liebherr has built to date – is on board the ‘Orion’, the next-gen offshore installation vessel by DEME. 

With a 5,000-tonne maximum lifting capacity, the HLC 295000 will be used in the offshore industry to help installing wind farms and decommissioning old energy platforms.

“A very memorable event”

After leaving the port of Rostock on 27 March, the vessel ‘Orion’ had its name-giving ceremony in Vlissingen in the Netherlands at the end of last week. It was Mrs Amélie Michel, spouse of Mr Charles Michel, President of the European Council, who did the honours. 

DEME CEO Luc Vandenbulcke as well as DEME chairman Luc Bertrand were present among the several-hundred spectators in attendance. Meanwhile, Patricia Rüf, Member of the administrative board of Liebherr-International AG and joint management of the maritime cranes company area of the Liebherr Group as well as Leopold Berthold, Managing Director of Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH came from Liebherr’s side.


In discussions and gestures, the event was widely regarded as a symbol of partnership and on-going co-operation between the two companies. In the next few weeks, the vessel will head towards Rügen. And roughly 20km northeast from the island, the offshore wind farm ‘Arcadis Ost I’ in the Baltic Sea will be constructed.


“What we are witnessing here is indeed a very memorable event. Fundamentally, it demonstrates what is achieved when people are closely working together, especially alongside with a competent and reliable partner,” remarked Robert Pitschmann, Global Application Manager Heavy Lift Offshore at Liebherr. “Today, we are proud. In an extraordinary effort, our team at Liebherr brought this heavy lift crane up on this ship so now everyone can see what has been accomplished.”

Destined to serve both ends of the offshore market


Owing to its compact design, the crane is destined to serve in the offshore market. The base column, for instance, being only 16.8 metres diameter, is unique in the market. The HLC 295000
requires little space on deck and offers more storage space for transportation. It is ready to take up its work in the ample field of the offshore industry. With its maximum capacity of 5,000 tons and an outreach of up to 151 metres, the HLC can manage large components, for example, during the decommissioning of offshore platforms.


Equipped with such kit, the vessel ‘Orion’ heralds a new era in the offshore energy industry – one that will be dominated by multi-megawatt turbines, jackets and components, advised Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO DEME Group. “The combination of load capacity and superior lifting heights of ‘Orion’ will enable DEME to play an important role in helping the industry successfully navigate the energy transition.”

Shaping tomorrow’s energy landscape


Liebherr’s new heavy lift crane is expected to gain decisive impact in the energy transformation since it will support the construction of wind farms, on the one hand. Elsewhere, it will be used for decommissioning old platforms – a development pushed forward by offshore wind. Essentially, this conveys a reduction in offshore oil & gas installations. The crane therefore carries with it a focus on dismantling parts as large as possible in order to reduce transport-related resources. 

Conclusively, Liebherr’s new crane could enhance working on the energy revolution because it is able to function at “both ends” in the contest for developing greener energy. Indeed, both fields of application can now be served by a single Liebherr product: the heavy lift crane.


Moreover, a maximum lifting height of 175 metres enables the HLC 295000 to operate in the required height right away without special efforts. All this demonstrates that the heavy lift crane in general can be regarded as the ideal instrument for the challenges ahead within the changing field of energy production as well as in all related working areas closely related to it. Ultimately, extraordinary efficiency, ease and swiftness when it comes to transporting this model, and the combination of accuracy and power mark out this Liebherr heavy lift crane and the HLC-Series as an advancement in smart versatility.