Rotterdam-based heavy lift specialist HEBO Maritiem Service has been quite busy in Glasgow installing a bridge with its HEBO Lift 10 sheerleg. The company was brought into play by the main contractor Farrans who is completing the £29.5 million ($35.7 million) project for Glasgow City Council.

The project includes the construction of a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the River Clyde between Water Row in Govan and Pointhouse Quay in Partick, re-establishing the historic connection between the areas.

The bridge span left Westdorpe in the Netherlands on October 7, it was constructed in Belgium, before being transported along canals to Holland at which point the pylon and cabling was installed prior to sailing to the Clyde estuary and up the river.

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The bridge span is six metres wide and was fabricated in two parts: the moving span, which weighs 650 tonnes, is 99 metres long and will use the South Pier (at Water Row) as its access; and the fixed span, which weighs 45 tonnes and is 15.7 metres long.

The moving span was put in place on October 17 after a set-up period for the lifting crane. The fixed span will be kept in storage until works on the North Pier and northern approach works are complete, and then installed in the summer of 2024 to complete the project, Farrans said.

David Buchanan, Project Manager for Farrans Construction, said, “The arrival and installation of the main span of the Govan – Partick Bridge represents a key milestone in this project and an exciting period of activity for our team. There are many factors to consider with a civil engineering operation such as this one, most of which we are able to plan, however we also have changeable elements like the weather and tides to contend with. The crane we used for the bridge is the Hebo Lift 10 which is capable of lifting 2200 tonnes. To have the bridge and crane here and ready to progress means that we are moving into the final stage of this important project. I would like to thank our client, supply chain and the local community for continuing to work closely with us to facilitate major events like this one.”

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