Potain MCT 385 hits new heights on world’s tallest bridge

• The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge was built in one of the most challenging environments imaginable and at a height of 625 m above the river.
• A Potain MCT 385 played a key role in construction, working with its full 75 m jib and lifting loads of up to 20 t.
• Its superb structural strength was vital to ensuring reliable performance in tough conditions.

A Potain MCT 385 topless tower crane has concluded its contribution to the world’s tallest bridge, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou, southwestern China. With a vertical clearance of 625 m from the bridge deck to the river surface, the new structure is well over twice the height of France’s Millau Viaduct and will reduce travel time from Liuzhi to Anlong from 3 hours to just 1.5 hours.

Owned and operated by Guizhou ShengYongSheng, the crane arrived on site in late 2023, where it was configured with the full 75 m jib on behalf of main contractors Guizhou Bridge Construction Group. As the core lifting equipment for the project, the crane soon began handling loads of up to 20 t for critical tasks such as pylon construction and steel truss girder installation over a main span of 1,420 m and a total length of 2,890 m.

On the sheer cliffs and inhospitable terrain of the local landscape, the MCT 385 worked in tandem with the world’s longest-span cable crane system, covering areas unreachable by conventional fixed cranes and significantly accelerating construction while providing unmatched stability and efficiency in the extreme conditions.

“This canyon was once a construction ‘no-go zone’, but the MCT 385 has reaffirmed Potain’s position as a manufacturer and strategic partner capable of delivering technological breakthroughs,” said Ling Qian, marketing manager - China, Manitowoc. “This project shows China’s ongoing commitment to ambitious infrastructure development and highlights the role global, high-end equipment can play in delivering these mega-projects. At Potain we want to drive innovation, turning projects that were previously impossible into reality.”

ShengYongSheng’s MCT 385 has enjoyed a decade of use on other projects in the region, including the Guiyang Twin Towers Project and the Xifeng Industrial Standardized Plant Project.

CONTACT

Crystal Chi    
Marketing Director, Emerging Markets 
Manitowoc    
T +86 2164 570 006*103
crystal.chi@manitowoc.com