Abu Dhabi-based NFT for Tower Cranes has completed the supply and installation of 26 Potain tower cranes at the Kuwait International Airport’s new $4.3bn passenger terminal project.
The cranes, which are being used by Turkish contractor Limak İnşaat, include six high-capacity Potain MD 1100 cranes, as well as 18 Potain MD 365 units and two Potain MC 125 cranes. NFT, which is one of the biggest tower crane owners worldwide with locations throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia, and a fleet of 1,800 tower cranes, won the contract to supply the cranes in December last year. According to Ghady El Hachem from the company’s sales team in Kuwait, this was based on “the impressive strength and reliability of the Potain cranes”.
“The six MD 1100 cranes will lift the heaviest material on site including concrete beams and columns, while the two MC 125 units will lift the lighter loads. The 18 MD 365 cranes are ideal for the main steel structure and will also assist with concrete handling work,” he added.
The cranes are handling a variety of duties including the construction of the single roof canopy on the terminal building which will feature 66,000 solar panels. The panels will generate around 10% of the building’s electricity requirements. The cranes will also help pour a million cubic metres of concrete and over 100,000t of structural steel.
According to Potain, the MD 1100 has a maximum capacity of 50t, while at their maximum jib length of 80m they can lift 10.6t. On this project, the cranes are working with jib lengths of 80m and at working heights of up to 63.5m.
The MD 365 cranes have a maximum capacity of 16t, while at their maximum jib length of 75m they can lift 3.65t. According to NFT, for the job at Kuwait airport, its engineers worked with Manitowoc’s Lift Solutions team to adjust the maximum jib length for the cranes to 80m. The 6t capacity MC 125 cranes, meanwhile, are working with 50m jibs and their maximum tip capacity is 1.15t at this distance.
The new terminal at Kuwait International Airport is due to be completed in six years and is expected to help meet growing demand for air travel in the country. Spread across 708,000 sqm, the facility will have the capacity to handle 25 million passengers a year and accommodate all aircraft types through 51 gates. The building will feature three symmetrical wings, each housing departure gates. Each facade will span 1.2km and all will extend from a 25m tall central space.
