Every year, Barcolana transforms Trieste into one of the world’s leading international sailing stages, attracting crews, enthusiasts and visitors from all over the world. It is not only the world’s largest sailing regatta – with more than 2,000 boats and around 300,000 spectators expected – but an event that involves the entire city for several days, bringing together sailing, tourism, business and entertainment along Trieste’s waterfront.
And it is right here, on the seafront next to Piazza Unità d’Italia, that the Barcolana Village takes shape: a true temporary city made up of exhibition stands, hospitality areas and spaces dedicated to the public, forming the beating heart of the event.
Within this setting, an HLI Rent Jekko SPX532.2 was involved in assembling part of the Village structures on behalf of Central Serramenti, a company belonging to Edil Group. HLI Rent supported the installation of the temporary structures, focusing in particular on handling glass panels, railings and metal pergolas, as well as lifting equipment intended for the interior spaces of the exhibition containers.
The working environment made the job particularly challenging: limited space and uneven ground, several teams operating simultaneously, tight installation schedules and a worksite directly overlooking the sea.
Simone Ravalico, HLI Rent Technical Sales Specialist, explains:
“To handle the different operations, the SPX532.2 was used both with the hook for steel structures and with a vacuum lifter for the installation of more than 30 glass panels, always in combination with the hydraulic jib. The possibility of adjusting the jib offset angle proved extremely useful, allowing us to adapt the working geometry with great precision and guide the materials with millimetre accuracy, not only at height but also right inside the Village’s container structures. During the installation days, moderate Bora winds were also blowing, a typical feature of Trieste that must always be carefully considered when planning lifting operations, especially when handling large elements such as glass panels.”
Simone Ravalico adds:
“This is the first time a mini crane has been used for this type of work, which would normally be carried out using truck-mounted cranes. In such a congested area, however, the mini crane proved to be the most practical and efficient solution: thanks to its compact dimensions, it allowed us to work close to the structures and in the tightest spaces, while also enabling several teams to operate simultaneously without interfering with one another.”
The combination of the SPX532.2, dedicated attachments and the experience of HLI Rent’s operators made it possible to speed up operations, reducing installation times compared with the original schedule. This was particularly important for an event with a fixed opening date that could not be postponed.
At the end of Barcolana, the same SPX532.2 will return to Trieste’s waterfront for the dismantling of the Village.
Between Piazza Unità d’Italia and the Adriatic Sea, the Jekko mini crane is therefore working behind the scenes of Trieste’s most important event of the year. Because before the show begins on the water, someone has to prepare everything that happens on land.
Discover Jekko SPX532.2, the tracked telescopic mini crane behind this project.
