Two Grove all-terrains raise a tensile steel roof on reclaimed lagoon ground in Taranto
A Grove GMK4100L-2 and GMK3060L-1 are installing the steel roof of the PalaRicciardi arena in Taranto, Italy, working around the clock on ground so poor the cranes need three-metre load-spreading plates.
A roof assembled in sequence
The PalaRicciardi multi-purpose arena in the Salinella district of Taranto is being built to host events at the Mediterranean Games 2026, which run from 21 August to 3 September. That fixed date has shaped everything about the lifting programme. Italian crane service specialists Servidea Sollevamenti and Gamit have supplied two Grove all-terrain cranes to install the venue’s steel tensile roof, a structure made up of prefabricated galvanised tubular elements that has to go together in a strictly defined order.
Each stage is agreed in advance with the general contractor, Ferraro, and with the steel structure manufacturer, Stoma Engineering, leaving little room for improvisation once a section is airborne.
Two capacities, two roles
The 100 t capacity GMK4100L-2 handles the main lifts, providing the reach and load moment needed for the heavier roof sections. The smaller 60 t capacity GMK3060L-1 covers intermediate stages and works in the tighter corners of a constrained site, which keeps the larger machine free for the picks that need it.
The four-axle GMK4100L-2 carries a 60 m main boom, among the longest in its capacity class, which allows a good deal of the work to be done without rigging a jib. It measures 13.21 m long and 2.55 m wide. The three-axle GMK3060L-1 pairs a 48 m main boom with an 8.67 m carrier length — close to two-axle proportions — and can still lift 6.6 t with the boom fully extended.
Building on a former lagoon
The site’s biggest complication is underfoot. PalaRicciardi is going up on a former lagoon with poor load-bearing capacity, so both cranes work on custom steel load-spreading plates up to 3 m wide to keep outrigger pressures within what the ground will take. With the project running 24 hours a day, set-up and repositioning have to be repeatable rather than exceptional.
Grove’s Italian dealer FIMI and Manitowoc Italy are providing aftermarket cover for the duration.
“For a project running 24 hours a day, confidence in the cranes and real-time monitoring are essential. The reliability of Grove technology and standardized Crane Control System (CCS) across the range are key factors in maintaining productivity on such a demanding, multi-shift site.”
— Ivano Masciantonio, managing director, Servidea Sollevamenti and Gamit
Source: Manitowoc — Photos: Manitowoc
Crane facts
- Main crane: Grove GMK4100L-2, 100 t capacity
- Boom: 60 m main boom; 13.21 m long, 2.55 m wide
- Support crane: Grove GMK3060L-1, 60 t capacity
- Boom: 48 m main boom; 6.6 t at full extension; 8.67 m carrier
- Ground works: Steel load-spreading plates up to 3 m wide
Project
- Site: PalaRicciardi arena, Salinella district, Taranto, Italy
- Crane owner: Servidea Sollevamenti and Gamit
- Contractor: Ferraro; steelwork by Stoma Engineering
- Deadline: Mediterranean Games, 21 August – 3 September 2026
- Dealer: FIMI, with Manitowoc Italy