Associated Terminals Announces Two New Liebherr Cranes

Convent, La.-based Associated Terminals has announced the commissioning and naming of two hybrid-powered Liebherr cranes. The company called the new cranes a major milestone in advancing efficiency, sustainability and performance in stevedoring for the Lower Mississippi River.

Each crane will be mounted on custom-built crane barges and powered by hybrid-capable engines from Louisiana Cat. One will be named the “Bill S.” after the company’s vice president of sales, Bill Sullivan, while the other, the “D. Lopez,” will honor Dawn Lopez, vice president of marketing & PR for both Associated Terminals and Turn Services. Associated Terminals called the tradition of naming crane barges after long-time team members “a nod to the people who power our success.”

“These Liebherr cranes are more than just equipment—they represent our commitment to continuous improvement, environmental responsibility and employing advanced technology in marine cargo handling,” said Todd Fuller, president of Associated Terminals. “The level of innovation in these systems aligns perfectly with our long-term strategy for operational excellence. It’s also an outstanding opportunity for our organization to recognize two of our most valued leaders, Bill Sullivan and Dawn Lopez.”

The “D. Lopez” crane was scheduled to arrive by ship June 20. The crane will be loaded onto its LAD Services-built crane barge and sent to Boh Bros. for assembly. The D. Lopez is scheduled to enter service in August. Following factory-acceptance testing at the Liebherr facility in Germany in August, the second crane is projected to arrive in the United States in September, with Boh Bros. assembling the Bill S. crane barge as well. Associated Terminals will hold a christening for both crane barges early next year.

“I’m deeply honored to have my name on one of these new cranes, not as a personal accolade, but as a tribute to the incredible teams who make our success possible,” Lopez said. “From the operations team who execute with precision and pride, to the leadership and partners who drive innovation, this moment is a shared achievement. Growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River, I witnessed firsthand the strength, resilience and purpose of this industry. It is a privilege to help share that story every day.”

Sullivan echoed that message of thanks and the focus on the Associated Terminals team and company culture.

“I am humbled by the recognition,” Sullivan said. “Ownership has always placed the highest value on the men and women of the various companies within the organization. It is a great honor to be able to continue to represent their dedicated commitment to excellence.”

Built on modified 250-foot by 72-foot platforms, the newly commissioned crane barges are engineered for high-capacity bulk handling in the demanding conditions of inland waterways. Their hybrid-capable power systems from Louisiana Cat will blend diesel and battery technologies to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The crane barges will feature four Caterpillar C18 generators (565 ekW each), a Caterpillar C4.4 generator (118 ekW) and a CAT XES120 127 kWh battery system.

The systems will incorporate intelligent load sensing logic with automated power scaling switch gears. The setup will support flexible energy management and redundancy, delivering up to 1,435 kW of peak crane power while minimizing engine wear and balancing runtime across all engines. A keel cooling system will eliminate the need for raw water intake or radiator maintenance, further enhancing environmental performance and long-term reliability.

Each crane barge will be outfitted with a Liebherr CBG 500 E crane—an advanced model representing a major step forward in marine cargo handling. With boom lengths of up to 50 meters, Bill S. and D. Lopez will be able to lift 90 tons in sheltered waters and 65 tons in open water. A hybrid energy recovery system will capture and reuse power from dynamic braking and load lowering to improve efficiency. Operator-focused features will include climate-controlled, ergonomic cabins, secure staircases and remote diagnostics and control systems.

The system also will offer a maximum bucket capacity of 83.7 cubic yards and will be able to reach throughput rates of up to 2,460 tons per hour with optimized cycle times. Designed for continuous service, each crane is configured for approximately 5,200 operating hours per year to maximize productivity and uptime.

“Our engineering team, led by Curtis Blank and Ethan Palma, worked closely with Liebherr and LAD Shipyard to customize the cranes and barges to meet the unique demands of round-the-clock operations on the Mississippi River,” said Zeljko Franks, chief operating officer of Associated Terminals. “The result is a powerful, flexible and future-ready system built for long-term performance.”