Port of Nantes Installs New Customised Potain MD 689 M25 Crane

France’s Port of Nantes (Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port) received an upgrade with the addition of a new Potain MD 689 M25. The crane facilitates the loading of larger ships with air draughts and increased capacities. Potain worked closely with the port to customise the crane for site-specific requirements and operational conditions. Installed on a gantry structure, […] Port of Nantes Installs New Customised Potain MD 689 M25 Crane published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.

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Nov 6, 2025 - 12:15
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Port of Nantes Installs New Customised Potain MD 689 M25 Crane

France’s Port of Nantes (Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port) received an upgrade with the addition of a new Potain MD 689 M25. The crane facilitates the loading of larger ships with air draughts and increased capacities.

Potain worked closely with the port to customise the crane for site-specific requirements and operational conditions. Installed on a gantry structure, the crane connects directly with the Potain Crane Control System (CCS) and travels along a 170-metre rail track, allowing it to service all three of the port’s dry docks.

The travelling gantry is the first on a Potain crane equipped with frequency inverter drives (and the drives are also integrated into the CCS). This delivers smooth, stepless motion along the tracks and lifting performance. It also offers onboard assistance, particularly when paired with the Potain CONNECT digital platform, for real-time remote diagnostics, machine operation alerts, and remote actions.

(Image: courtesy of Potain)

“Lifting operations in ports have always been dynamic and demanding, with very high economic stakes. For Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port, the requirements of the industry and the needs of our customers led us to develop an even more robust and innovative solution.”

Said Sylvain Brunet, Lift Solutions business project manager.

The MD 689 M25 was set up with permanent double reeving, providing a maximum lift capacity of 25 t when the jib is at 26 m, and 7.6 t when the jib is extended to its maximum of 75 m. For its working location, the crane was treated with paint to withstand the highly corrosive portside environment, meeting the C5-H standard under ISO 12944.

(Image: courtesy of Potain)

 

Other customisations included specially designed access and dedicated lighting. This features a lighting system operated from the control station that can be dimmed to avoid interfering with ground operations. There are also work cameras on the trolley and portal, as well as a communications system featuring in-cab microphones and speakers, an external loudspeaker, and channel encryption.

Port of Nantes Installs New Customised Potain MD 689 M25 Crane published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.

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