Çanakkale Bridge Breaks Record for the Men from Marr’s

Working in a dangerous earthquake zone, the record-breaking construction feat saw one of MARR’s M2480D Heavy Lift Luffers (HLL) ¬– which with a lifting capacity of 330 tonnes is the world’s largest capacity tower crane – undertake the world’s heaviest (155 tonnes) craneage lift at a height of 318 metres, on what will be the world’s longest spanning suspension bridge (currently the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan). This bridge will cut a 90 minute boat trip from the European side of Turkey to Asia down to a six-minute car ride.

Australian company Marr Contracting has a reputation for technical competence and innovative thinking in developing strategies for heavy lifting on projects of this scale. Their engineering solution that made the world-record lift possible was one of the reasons DLSY (Daelim – Limak – SK E&C – Yapi Merkezi) Joint Venture awarded the craneage contract to Marr Contracting International in 2017 after a competitive tender process including some of the world’s leading craneage companies. Their approach to construction has meant the tower stage of the project has been completed in record time, by lifting fewer but larger pieces.

The unparalleled lifting capacity of the M2480D HLL cranes have been a game changer for this project and will potentially change the way the industry looks at how bridges can be built, as well as a host of other large scale projects.

With the M2480D crane perched 328 metres above the water, it took approximately 30 minutes to lift a 155-tonne piece of the upper cross beam (UCB) to its position 318 metres above sea level. The installation of the centre section of the UCB on the Asian side of the Çanakkale Strait, completed a major milestone in the construction of the bridge, with the lift taking place at midnight on Sunday 7 June 2020. The European side was completed 24 hours later, with the final centrepieces installed on both sides of the Bridge at a final height of 318 metres on Monday 8 June 2020.

The Men from Marr’s is an international team including Australians, Turks, Koreans, Dutch, Japanese, Iranians, Filipinos and Brits. They are working together under strict COVID-19 restrictions, each day travelling between the workfront and their lockdown accommodation near Gelibolu.

The scope of work on the project is due to be completed in December 2020 / January 2021. The bridge is due to open on 18 March 2022.

Source Marr Contracting / PRCO UK