The construction industry has reached new heights—literally—with the introduction of SGC-250, better known as “Big Carl.” Owned by Belgian construction company Sarens, this colossal crane holds the title of the largest land-based crane in the world, boasting remarkable capabilities that set it apart from traditional lifting machinery.
Standing fully upright, Big Carl can reach an astonishing height of 250 meters (820 feet), taller than many skyscrapers. Even more impressive is its ability to lift up to 5,000 tonnes, the equivalent weight of around 1,000 cars. This Herculean feat is made possible by its 12 high-performance engines, working in perfect unison to deliver unparalleled lifting power.
Big Carl’s versatility doesn’t stop at lifting; its design includes a 360-degree rotation with a radius of 100 meters (330 feet), achieved through a series of wheels mounted on tracks. This mechanism also allows for limited movement around construction sites, a remarkable feature given the crane’s enormous size.
While its capabilities are extraordinary, Big Carl isn’t destined for everyday construction projects. It specializes in lifting exceptionally heavy pre-assembled modules in highly specialized construction yards. In 2022, Big Carl demonstrated its prowess by completing a critical task at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in the UK, where it placed a 304-tonne steel liner ring on a reactor. This was just one example of the crane’s vital role in modern large-scale projects.
The shift toward modular construction has been a key driver behind Big Carl’s development. Instead of assembling structures piece by piece on-site, modern projects increasingly rely on pre-assembled modules created in controlled environments. These massive components require cranes capable of handling unprecedented weights, a need Big Carl was designed to fulfill. Sarens, known for its engineering expertise, developed this crane to meet the growing demands of industries moving away from traditional stick-built construction methods.
Despite its massive scale, Big Carl is not the largest crane in existence. That honor goes to Sleipnir, a Dutch-owned semi-submersible vessel equipped with twin cranes capable of lifting 10,000 tonnes each. Designed for offshore projects, Sleipnir focuses on installing and decommissioning energy infrastructure such as oil rigs.
Still, as the largest land-based crane, Big Carl is a testament to human ingenuity and the growing demands of modern construction. Its design not only showcases cutting-edge engineering but also supports the construction industry’s ongoing evolution toward efficiency and modularization. Whether on nuclear power stations or other mega-projects, Big Carl continues to redefine the limits of what is possible in heavy lifting.