Boston

Massive Cranes Arrive in Boston After 3-Month Journey From China

Two cranes measuring 205 feet and another measuring 145 feet arrived in Boston after making a long trip from China on a ship too big to pass through the Panama Canal

NBC Universal, Inc.

The three tallest low-profile ship-to-shore cranes in the world arrived in Boston and were greeted with awe.

The taller two top out at 205 feet, and the third at 145 feet. They are low profile to nearby Logan International Airport.

"I think they're incredible," said Jim Drury, who came down to the port to take a look.

Former merchant seaman Jim Boardman agrees.

"I always come down here because it's nice and quiet, and I was like, 'Whoa, look at this thing come in here.' It was amazing," he said.

It's the end of a trip that was a decade in the making and covered thousands of miles, beginning in Shanghai, where the cranes were built.

It marks a new beginning for the Port of Boston; they are part of an $850 million port revitalization. Mike Meyran, the port director, says the cranes represent $42 million of that.

"These cranes are really the final touch to allow us to handle the bigger ships that are coming as a result of the Panama Canal expansion," Meyran said.

Watch as massive cranes arrive to Boston Harbor from China as they make their way to Massport’s Conley Container Terminal in South Boston. The three new cranes will be operational this fall.

Ironically, the ship carrying the cranes was too big for the Panama Canal, which added thousands of miles to the three-month trip.

Boardman got his first glimpse from Orleans, Massachusetts, Tuesday morning.

"Off of Nauset Beach, and they were out in the shipping lanes, about seven miles, and you know it's not a cargo ship and you know it's not a container ship," he said.

Drury heard they were coming.

"I saw the news story a few months ago, and I was curious how they're going to get those great big, tall things all the way from China sitting on top of a ship, and I wanted to see what it looked like," he said.

"I can't imagine how they are going to get them off the ship," added his wife, Lorraine.

They’ve got a plan for that. The cranes will be up and running by the end of September.

Contact Us