Raising High-Voltage Transmission Lines to Accommodate 151-ft-tall Cranes
On March 29, 2018, two massive neo-Panamax cranes made their way up the Cape Fear River. They were concluding a two-month-long journey from China to the Port of Wilmington. And their safe passage required raising two high-voltage transmission lines to accommodate their 151-ft height.
Planning for the crane delivery took eight months. It involved a team of experts in water safety, ship piloting, surveying, engineering, security and meteorology. McKim & Creed was charged with ensuring the transmission lines were raised high enough that the cranes could pass under them.
On the day the cranes cruised into Wilmington, there was “no room for error,” recalls David Jones, PLS, CFS, regional manager with McKim & Creed. “It was an anxious moment for everyone.”