ESTA Awards of Excellence 2026 Celebrates Industry Innovation and Heavy Lifting Excellence
- Meagan Wood
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
30-Second Takeaway
The 2026 ESTA Awards of Excellence recognised some of the lifting and transport industry’s most innovative projects and technologies during a ceremony in Noordwijk, Netherlands. Major winners included Liebherr, Mammoet, Sarens, Wagenborg Nedlift, Autovictor, and Fagioli across categories covering safety, innovation, heavy lifting, transport engineering, and operator training.
ESTA Awards of Excellence 2026 Highlights Industry Innovation and Engineering Excellence
The 2026 ESTA Awards of Excellence took place on 16 April at the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands, celebrating outstanding achievements across the lifting, heavy transport, and specialised logistics industries.
Widely regarded as one of the sector’s most prestigious annual events, the ESTA Awards recognise innovation, operational performance, engineering excellence, safety, and workforce development throughout Europe’s heavy lifting and abnormal transport sectors.
This year marked the most competitive edition in the awards’ history, featuring:
73 entries
23 finalist companies
Eight participating countries
The event showcased some of the industry’s most technically demanding lifting and transport operations completed over the past year.
Wagenborg Nedlift Wins Multiple ESTA Awards
Dutch heavy lifting specialist Wagenborg Nedlift secured two major victories during the
awards ceremony.
Combined Techniques Award for Major Bridge Installation
Wagenborg won the Combined Techniques category for the successful installation of a 130-metre-long, 1,600-tonne steel arch bridge across Germany’s Weser River in Stolzenau.
The project utilised a combination of:
Self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs)
Pontoons
Jacking systems
Sliding systems
The operation was completed within a tight timeframe to minimise disruption to commercial river traffic.
Heavy Transport Award for Transformer Project
The company also claimed the Abnormal Transport Total Mass >120 Tonnes category for transporting six 312-tonne transformers to the TenneT substation in Ter Apelkanaal, Netherlands. The complex project required extensive engineering preparation while carefully managing environmental and community considerations.
Liebherr Recognised for Safety and Training Innovation
Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH earned two ESTA Awards during the 2026 event.
Safety Award Recognises LTM 1400-6.1 Crane Development Liebherr won the Safety category for improvements made to the Y-type guying telescopic boom suspension on the LTM 1400-6.1 mobile crane.
The redesigned system reduces assembly steps and minimises working at height, improving safety during crane setup operations.
“Game of Cranes” Wins Training Category
The company also secured the Training award for its international “Game of Cranes” initiative. The competition combines practical and theoretical crane operation challenges designed to encourage operators worldwide to improve their technical expertise, professionalism, and safety awareness.
Sarens Wins Innovation Award with Fully Electric Ring Crane
Heavy lifting specialist Sarens claimed the Innovation category with its new SGC-170, recognised as the world’s largest fully electric ring crane.
Fully Electric Crane Sets New Sustainability Benchmark
The SGC-170 offers:
Lifting capacity up to 3,200 tonnes
Hook heights exceeding 200 metres
Zero-emission drivetrain
Energy recovery system
Modular transport design
The crane was recognised for reducing energy use, downtime, and lifecycle environmental impact during ultra-heavy lifting operations.
Mammoet Dominates Crane Categories at ESTA Awards
Global heavy lifting company Mammoet secured victories in two major crane categories.
Telescopic Cranes Under 120 Tonnes Award
Mammoet won the Telescopic Cranes Lifting Capacity <120 Tonnes category for a refinery upgrade project in Antwerp, Belgium.
The company used advanced Move3D modelling technology to safely remove and install large refinery modules in a highly congested process area.
Lattice Boom Crane Award for Refinery Maintenance Project
Mammoet also won the Cranes Lattice Boom category for supporting maintenance work at ExxonMobil’s Fawley Refinery in the United Kingdom. The project involved replacing a 356-tonne reactor head using the company’s FOCUS30 crane within an extremely confined work area.
Heavy Transport and SPMT Projects Receive Industry Recognition
Several major transport and SPMT operations were also recognised during the awards ceremony.
OL-TRANS Wins Transport Category Under 120 Tonnes
Polish transport specialist OL-TRANS won the Abnormal Transport Total Mass <120 Tonnes category for transporting 15 wind turbine blades from Gdańsk to Ukraine.
The operation covered approximately 1,150 kilometres under heightened logistical and geopolitical challenges.
Fagioli Wins SPMT/SPT Category
Italian heavy transport company Fagioli secured the SPMT/SPT category for transporting two massive ship blocks weighing more than 10,000 tonnes combined between Italy and Croatia.
The operation involved coordinated:
SPMT transport
Marine transportation
Precision alignment
Heavy assembly operations
Autovictor Recognised for Complex Bridge Installation Project
Italian lifting specialist Autovictor won the Telescopic Cranes Lifting Capacity >120 Tonnes category. The award recognised the company’s installation of the new Calà del Moro bridge in Rovigo, Italy, involving tandem lifting of two 59-metre steel girders across a waterway under restricted site conditions.
ESTA Continues Supporting the Heavy Lifting Industry
The European Association for the Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Crane Rental Industry (ESTA) continues promoting innovation, safety, and collaboration throughout the specialised transport and lifting sectors.
50th Anniversary ESTA Conference Scheduled for Amsterdam
ESTA also announced that its upcoming 50th Anniversary Conference will take place in Amsterdam on 23 October 2026.
The event will continue focusing on:
Industry safety
Engineering innovation
Workforce development
Future lifting technologies
About ESTA
The European Association for the Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Crane Rental Industry (ESTA) represents companies involved in heavy transport, mobile crane operations, and specialised lifting throughout Europe.
The organisation promotes industry best practices, technical innovation, safety standards, and professional development across the lifting and abnormal transport sectors.
Website:https://www.estaeurope.eu
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ESTA Awards of Excellence?
The ESTA Awards of Excellence recognise outstanding achievements in the lifting, crane rental, heavy transport, and specialised logistics industries across Europe.
Where were the 2026 ESTA Awards held?
The 2026 ESTA Awards took place at the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
Which companies won multiple awards at the 2026 ESTA Awards?
Wagenborg Nedlift, Liebherr, and Mammoet each secured multiple awards during the 2026 ceremony.
Who won the ESTA Innovation Award in 2026?
Sarens won the Innovation category for its fully electric SGC-170 ring crane.
What is the “Game of Cranes” initiative?
“Game of Cranes” is Liebherr’s international crane operator competition designed to promote operator skills, safety, and professionalism.
