Left Coast Lifter – Biggest floating crane ever to hit the West Coast arrives in San Francisco

Updated: February 5, 2026 (Originally published March 13, 2009)

Image via sfexaminer.com

A massive 328-foot crane arrived in San Francisco Bay last week to start working on the Bay Bridge’s eastern span project.  The crane, called the “Left Coast Lifter“, was built specifically for the Bay Bridge project in Shanghai, China and is the biggest floating crane ever to hit the west coast.  It arrived aboard the MV ZHEN HUA 22 and passed under the Golden Gate bridge en route to Pier 7 in Oakland, where it will be tested before being moved into position at the Bay Bridge.

The crane’s boom is 328 feet long, weighs approximately 992 tons and is capable of lifting over 1,800 tons of materials.  At a height of about 30 stories, the West Coast Lifter will tower 150 feet over the existing bridges roadway.

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