A NORTH-EAST port is boosting its work with a new crane.

Port of Sunderland bought a harbour mobile crane earlier this year, which bosses say allows it to compete on a larger scale, without the need for third party suppliers.

The Liebherr crane, which can lift 121 tons, was used to lift a crane boom for LV Shipping, part of the Dutch owned LV Group, based in Middlesbrough.

The crane part was loaded onto a barge and transported down the River Wear to the port's Corporation Quay, where it was lifted using the port’s crane and stored.

Matthew Hunt, port director, said: “The drive behind the crane purchase was to further strengthen our on-site offering and give us the opportunity to compete for more materials handling work.

“The crane has proved to be a major boost for us and a visible sign of the commitment we have from the council to invest in the port, which we believe can once again be a major economic driver in the city.”

The crane, made in Rostock, Germany, has also been used to load 63 ton reels to the MV Jaguar vessel.

Councillor Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council and chairman of the port board, said: “The port’s former capabilities meant that, to cater for bigger projects, we needed to hire in equipment at a significant cost per day.

“I’m delighted to see the facility to manage these lifts ourselves is proving to be a major boost allowing us to deliver better value to our customers.”