Tadano Donates Second Crane to Statue Restoration Project <br>in the South Pacific

Enlarge Image Image 1. Tadano president Koichi Tadano (right) presents the 66-ton (U.S.) RT crane to Daniel Carvallo, Chile's ambassador to Japan.

December 7, 2005 • Tadano Ltd. recently presented the Chilean ambassador to Japan with a 66-ton (U.S.) rough-terrain crane for use on the restoration of the Moai statues of Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui •  one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world located in the South Pacific. This is the second crane Tadano has donated to the project since restoration work began in 1992. The first was a 55-ton (U.S.) rough-terrain crane, used to place 15 statues  back onto a massive stone altar from which they had fallen. Since then, however, this crane has been exposed to severe weather conditions and salt water, creating a need for a replacement.

 

Enlarge Image Image 2. A 55-ton (U.S.) crane, donated by Tadano in 1992, was used for the first phase of the Moai restoration project.

The replacement crane, coated with anti-corrosion paint, is scheduled to arrive at Easter Island in March 2006. As there are no port facilities for loading and unloading on the Island, a special landing ship is being arranged by the Chilean navy.

 

As well as supplying the $500,000 crane free of charge, Tadano is also assuming all shipment costs, donating free product support, and sending instructors to the island to train operators and maintenance technicians.

 

More information on Tadano's involvement with the first phase of the Moai restoration project, which began in the 1990s, is available at www.tadano.co.jp/ihq/tadanocafe/moai/index.html.