Sarens Deploys 2,500-Tonne Crawler Crane at INEOS Project ONE in Port of Antwerp
- cranehub
- May 19
- 2 min read
On Saturday, May 17, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele visited the Project ONE site, where he officially inaugurated Europe’s largest crawler crane, ‘Strong Sofie,’ provided by Sarens. The new ethane cracker from chemical giant INEOS is set to create 450 direct jobs in Antwerp, attracting significant talent. Dirk van Dessel (54), previously with BASF, and Gilles Vermassen (30), formerly with Gunvor, shared their motivations for contributing to this ambitious mega-project.
“After 28 years at BASF, where I gained extensive experience, I was eager to contribute to the realization of Project ONE,” states Dirk van Dessel. “This project stands out in the Antwerp port area due to its scale and innovation. At BASF, I was part of an established operation, whereas at Project ONE, I have the unique opportunity to help build an ethane cracker from the ground up, achieving a 50% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to the best European facilities. Being part of this transformative future is invaluable.”
Gilles Vermassen, who previously worked at the Gunvor oil refinery prior to its closure in Antwerp in 2022, reflects, “The collective dismissal was unexpected, but it opened new opportunities. At 28, I was ready to take on a significant challenge. Project ONE attracted me with its scale and ambition: a state-of-the-art cracker designed to produce ethylene with an exceptionally low carbon footprint. Additionally, the transition of other Gunvor employees to INEOS made my decision to join feel logical.”
Sarens a family-owned heavy lifting and engineered transport specialist Sarens marked a significant milestone this weekend with the deployment of a colossal crawler crane at the INEOS Project ONE construction site in the Port of Antwerp.
The centerpiece of the project is the 'LR12500-1.0' crawler crane, aptly named 'Strong Sofie.' This impressive machine boasts a lifting capacity of 2,500 tonnes and an extensive reach of 200 meters. With a lifting capacity of 2,500 tonnes, the massive crane is among the most powerful of its kind in Europe. Its installation is a critical step in the realization of INEOS’s flagship Project ONE — a state-of-the-art ethane cracker facility designed to set new standards in efficiency and environmental performance within the European chemical industry.
The crane will play a pivotal role in the precise placement of enormous factory modules, which form the structural and functional core of the cracker plant. These pre-fabricated units, some weighing several hundred tonnes each, must be maneuvered with exceptional accuracy to ensure both safety and structural integrity.
Sarens, renowned globally for its expertise in heavy lifting and transport engineering, emphasized the importance of this operation. “This is more than just a lift — it’s a highly coordinated feat of engineering that underscores Sarens’ capability to handle the most demanding industrial challenges,” a company spokesperson said.
Project ONE represents a major investment in Europe’s chemical manufacturing infrastructure, aiming to produce ethylene — a key building block in plastics and chemicals — more sustainably and efficiently. Once completed, the plant is expected to be among the most energy-efficient and lowest-carbon crackers in Europe.
The successful operation of the crawler crane signals an important step forward for Project ONE, as the complex continues to take shape in one of the continent’s busiest industrial ports.
Komentar