Demand for MacGregor’s maritime cranes has been strong in the first half of 2026, and Swedish heavy lift experts say their electric offerings are now making up more than 80% of the company’s new crane orders.
Over the last fifteen years, more than 600 international container ships have already been fitted with MacGregor’s electric cranes – and the global demand for more electric cranes only seems to be accelerating.
“I’m very happy to see that electric drive technology became a new industry standard as our customers see the significant benefits,” says Magnus Sjöberg, Executive Vice President, Merchant Solutions Division, MacGregor. “By leveraging our long-standing expertise, we continue to deliver solutions that combine precise load control with substantial operational savings and a reduced environmental footprint for our customers.”
The company’s current portfolio includes high-performance HCE-series heavy lift electric cranes and, more relevant to this piece, the MCE-series container cranes which use electric servos for more precise placement and better cold-weather operation compared to traditional hydraulic drive cranes, including up to 60% lower energy consumption, increased precision, and the total elimination of hydraulic oil leakage risks.
That cold-weather operation combined with the increased placement accuracy of servos and the near total elimination of oil drips onto land and water are making electric cranes the go-to choice for sites like Port of Los Angeles or Port of New York and New Jersey that are investing heavily in cleaning up and decarbonizing their operations.
Those factors also make the next step – crane automation – a bit easier to develop, too. So, of course, that’s where this article is headed.
Autonomous crane concept
Last month, MacGregor showcased its latest smart maritime crane concept during the first official demonstration day of the EU-funded SEAMLESS project. Co-developed with the University of South-Eastern Norway in Horten, the finalized design concept marked a critical milestone in the project’s progression from digital realm into real-world validation.
“We now have proof of concept that these integrated digital and physical systems [can do] work seamlessly in real-world scenarios,” said MacGregor CEO Jonas Gustavsson, during the SEAMLESS keynote. “Our focus must now turn to collaborative efforts on international regulations and safety frameworks to maintain this momentum across the European maritime ecosystem.”
You can check out the concept for yourself in MacGregor’s demo video, above, then let us know what you think of the proliferation of electric cranes in maritime shipping in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: MacGregor, via PR Newswire.
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