Global Rigging & Transport (GRT) recently released a video capturing the carefully engineered demolition of a 1,200-ton crane in Campbell River.
The Surrey-based company, known for moving some of the heaviest and most complex cargo in the world, believes this is the first time a ship-to-shore crane – typically used at ports for loading and unloading containers from ships – has been demolished in Canada. Over its nearly 30-year lifespan, the crane has moved more than two million containers.
The company said the colossal 52-metre crane had reached the end of its expected service life and was transported from Vancouver to Campbell River by barge. It was then demolished using an engineered "controlled-fall technique," with help from the industrial services company AMIX.
As part of the engineered demolition process, all oils, hydraulics and lubricants were safely removed to ensure environmental safety.
Before the demolition, the company said it made strategic cuts to weaken key load‑bearing elements of the crane. The precise severing of support lines guided the crane’s controlled fall to within inches of the designated footprint.
Kenny Zappitelli, a supervisor with the company, said using the precision-engineered method, the crane dropped just as planned.
"The crane was safely toppled without any interruptions, mitigating the risk factor to the surrounding waterfront," he said in a statement.
