MAY 2026 Ӏ NEWS
INTERNATIONAL ESTA Awards of Excellence 2026 winners
The glamorous ESTA Awards of Excellence, celebrating the very best in the lifting and specialised transport industry, took place in The Netherlands on April 16, at the five-star Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, in Noordwijk aan Zee. With 73 entries this was the most
competitive edition ever reflecting the incredible expertise and innovation across the sector; the finalists came from 23 different companies and eight countries. The winning companies and projects, by category, were:
COMBINED TECHNIQUES WINNER: WAGENBORG NEDLIFT Wagenborg installed a 130-metre-long, 1,600-tonne steel arch bridge across the busy Weser River in Stolzenau, Germany. This was achieved using a combination of self-propelled modular transporters, pontoons, jacking and sliding systems, and supporting equipment. The operation was completed within a tight timeframe, thus minimising the period of closure for commercial shipping.
ABNORMAL TRANSPORT TOTAL MASS < 120 T WINNER: OL-TRANS In cooperation with Liburnia Poland, Ol-Trans completed the transport of 15 wind turbine blades, each measuring 77 metres in length, in five convoys from the Port of Gdańsk to Ukraine. This 1,150 km operation required meticulous planning and precise execution, as well as coordination in conditions of elevated risk due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
TELESCOPIC CRANES LIFTING CAPACITY > 120 T WINNER: AUTOVICTOR In Bagnolo di Po, Rovigo, Italy, Autovictor installed the new Calà del Moro bridge by lifting two 59-metre, 115-tonne prefabricated steel girders into place. The major challenges involved in this project included tandem lifting across a waterway, restricted working space and the precise coordination of cranes and SPMTs to ensure the safe positioning of the bridge sections.
SAFETY
WINNER: LIEBHERR-WERK EHINGEN Liebherr has designed the Y-type guying telescopic boom suspension of the LTM
1400-6.1 mobile crane to significantly increase safety during assembly. The reduction in the number of assembly steps results in less working at height. Simplified assembly also ensures the safety of operating personnel.
INNOVATION WINNER: SARENS Sarens' SGC-170 can lift up to 3,200 tonnes, with hook heights exceeding 200 meters. Its zero-emission drivetrain, energy recovery system, modular design and rapid relocation capability reduce energy use, downtime and lifecycle impact, setting new standards for ultra- heavy lifting in modern mega-projects.
ABNORMAL TRANSPORT TOTAL MASS > 120 T WINNER: WAGENBORG NEDLIFT Wagenborg transported six transformers, each weighing around 312 tonnes, to the new TenneT substation in Ter Apelkanaal, The Netherlands, through a combination of intensive engineering and preparation.
TELESCOPIC CRANES LIFTING CAPACITY < 120 T WINNER: MAMMOET Upgrading large equipment in a refinery in Antwerp, Belgium required removing and installing modules in a heavily congested process area obstructed by newer structures. Mammoet addressed the challenge using Move3D modelling to create a virtual replica of the site, enabling precise lift planning within tight spatial constraints.
CRANES LATTICE BOOM WINNER: MAMMOET As part of maintenance activities at ExxonMobil’s Fawley Refinery in the UK, Mammoet supported the exchange of a reactor head in the Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC) unit. The company's high-capacity Focus30 pedestal crane replaced the old 356-tonne reactor head with ease, while occupying a space only slightly larger than a five-a-side football pitch.
SPMT/SPT WINNER: FAGIOLI In October 2025 Fagioli transported two massive ship blocks for the SAMA vessel – a fore block weighing 4,662 tonnes and an aft block weighing 5,825 tonnes – from Porto Nogaro, Italy, to Rijeka, Croatia. Using SPMTs and the barge Arcalupa, the blocks were loaded, shipped, offloaded, and precisely aligned, enabling safe, on-schedule final assembly through coordinated marine transport and planning.
TRAINING
WINNER: LIEBHERR-WERK EHINGEN Liebherr’s ‘Game of Cranes’ is an international competition that is designed to motivate mobile crane operators around the world to develop their skills and compete with the very best in the industry. The Game of Cranes project combines practical and theoretical challenges, fosters talent development, and places a strong focus on safety and professionalism.
CRANES TODAY 11
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