Crane bound for East Coast leaves Port of Manitowoc

MANITOWOC, Wis. (WBAY) - A massive crane built in the Port of Manitowoc left its home Sunday morning and began a journey to the East Coast.

The crane left the Port at around a quarter to 10 a.m. and members of the Manitowoc community gathered along the water to watch it leave.

Many grew anxious as time went on with the crane still stuck in the harbor, but the excitement never left.

“I worked for Team Industrial Services and we’re the third party inspector on it, so it’s kind of interesting to watch it leave. Something that we worked on,” Jennifer Kozaczuk said as she waited for its departure.

The 2.7 million pound crane, designed and assembled by the Finnish company Konecranes, will handle 140-ton loads at a base for the U.S. Navy. The $55 millionproject took more than a year to complete.

“We need people to work and these jobs are important. When they built the cranes here, when the ice machine company...they’ve all left. So we need something to bring back more jobs and I think this will be boon to the community,” Allan Thrasher of Manitowoc said.

90% of the equipment used to build the crane was made in Wisconsin, and the project was completed this past April.

Construction happened at the site where submarines were built during World War II.

“It brings back memories from when we launched all the submarines and stuff. Just to watch that again is neat,” Paul Windus of Manitowoc said.

As previously reported, the finished crane will be placed on a barge and taken through the Saint Lawrence Seaway before reaching its destination in Virginia.

RELATED: State, Manitowoc leaders celebrate completion of massive Navy crane

Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels also talked about the crane project last December on Action 2 News at 4:30.

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