Heavy Lift Makes a Diff!

February, 1959 – Almost 47 years after its creation, the Port of Vancouver purchases its first harbor crane. A “whirley crane,” it is capable of lifting loads up to 50 tons. A “Big Washington” crane was added later to lift even heavier loads.

The Port purchased its first container crane from the Port of Long Beach, California in 2000. This crane, a PACECO brand crane, can also lift cargo other than containers.

The “winds of change” continued to blow across the docks and in 2006 a Liebherr-brand mobile harbor crane was added to better handle our newest cargo – windmills! A second mobile harbor crane was added in 2009. Each of these cranes is capable of lifting 140 metric tons – the equivalent of two space shuttles! Even better – these cranes can work together and lift even heavier loads!

In June 2009, fifth-grade students from Sacajawea & Endeavour Elementary schools in Vancouver named the cranes for the port. The port’s 2006 crane earned the name “Ursa Major” – also known as the “Big Dipper”. Meredith Gannon’s fifth graders at Sacajawea submitted the name.

The 2009 crane was dubbed “Bigfoot” – because it has larger stationary pads than the other. This name was submitted by Toni Johnson’s Endeavour Elementary (Evergreen School District) fifth graders.

Since 2006, the Port of Vancouver has become globally recognized as a wind power and project cargo port for regional, national, and international projects. The mobile harbor cranes were added in order to meet these demands.

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