Crane Hire Portsmouth

Cranes for Portsmouth jobs

Tell us the weight, radius and access for your Portsmouth job and we’ll recommend the right machine. Not sure where to start? Read our guide to what size crane you need.

Where we work in and around Portsmouth

Most of our Portsmouth crane hire work falls into a handful of sectors.

Naval base and defence

The naval base and the dockyard behind it run a continuous programme of maintenance, refit and infrastructure work. Lifting anywhere on that estate is governed by the site’s own standard: security clearance, escorts, permits and exact exclusion zones, with dates fixed well in advance. See our maritime sector page.

Marine engineering and boatbuilding

The marine businesses around the harbour and at Gosport handle build, repair and fit-out work, where lifts are usually into a confined space over water or between structures, with the tide to allow for. See our maritime page.

The commercial port and ferry terminal

The commercial port handles ferries, cruise and cargo, and the work there is terminal equipment, port plant and cargo handling planned around sailings rather than the working day. See our maritime sector page.

Hospitals, universities and public buildings

The hospital estate at Cosham and the university buildings in the city bring chiller and air handling unit replacement, scanner and laboratory equipment moves and plant room work, on sites that stay open throughout. See our healthcare and pharma and education sector pages.

Industrial estates on the mainland side

The estates at Hilsea, Portchester, Fareham and Havant hold manufacturing, engineering and trade operations. Typical jobs are machinery deliveries and installs, factory moves and rooftop plant replacement. See our industrial and HVAC sector pages.

Construction and city-centre development

Residential, commercial and waterfront schemes bring steel erection, precast, cladding and rooftop plant, on an island where sites are small and the street is usually the only place to stand. See our construction sector page.

Access and planning for lifts in Portsmouth

Every site is different, but a few things come up again and again on Portsmouth jobs:

• Getting onto the island. Everything crosses at Hilsea, Eastern Road or the M275, and all three get congested. For a large crane or a ballast convoy the crossing and the time of day decide the plan, and we work that out before we quote.
• Secure sites. Naval and defence sites need clearance, inductions and permits arranged in advance, and the lead time on that has to be built into the programme.
• Dense streets. Portsmouth is one of the most densely built cities in the country. Standing room is limited, terraces are close and parking suspensions are often needed just to get set up.
• Tide, water and wind. Lifts over or beside water bring tidal windows and exposure off the Solent, so we plan around wind limits and the state of the tide where it matters.
• Road closures. Where a lift needs part of a road or pavement closed, we can arrange the traffic management and road closure with Portsmouth City Council or Hampshire County Council as part of the job.

Postcodes and areas we cover

We cover every PO postcode and the districts around the city:

• Portsmouth: city centre, Old Portsmouth, Southsea, Fratton, Hilsea, Cosham and Paulsgrove
• Around the harbour: Portchester, Fareham, Titchfield, Stubbington, Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent
• East: Waterlooville, Havant, Emsworth and Hayling Island
• Wider area: Chichester, Bognor Regis, Selsey, Wickham, Petersfield and the Isle of Wight

Beyond Portsmouth we also work across Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey. See all the areas we cover.

Why Portsmouth firms choose Synergy Lifting for crane hire

• Used to controlled sites. Clearance, inductions, permits and client lifting standards are part of normal planning for us.
• Route and timing planned first. On an island city the crossing and the hour of the day matter as much as the crane, and both get settled at quote stage.
• Qualified and accredited. CPCS and NPORS operators, lifts planned to BS 7121, and a business certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, with Constructionline Gold Member registration.
• One contractor for the whole lift. We can take on the lift plan, appointed person, RAMS, supervision and insurance.

More than cranes

Many Portsmouth jobs need more than a lift, so we also offer:

• Machine movement
• Machine delivery and installation
• Factory relocation
• Industrial plant dismantling
• Steel erection and dismantling
• Plant room strip out
• Traffic management and road closures

How to book a crane

1. Send us the site location, load weight, access details and dates. Photos help.
2. We quote, usually the same working day. Complex lifts may need a site visit first.
3. For contract lifts we prepare the lift plan and RAMS. For CPA hire we advise on crane position and set-up.
4. We arrive on the agreed day and carry out the lift to BS 7121.

Common questions

How does lifting inside the naval base or the dockyard work?

It runs on the site’s own clearance, escort and permit regime, and the lead time on that is usually longer than the lift takes to plan. Tell us the site, the induction and escort requirements and the date you are working to, and we will plan the lift and the paperwork around them.

Is getting a large crane onto the island a problem?

Not a problem, but it is a planning job. The crossing, the time of day and any escort requirements get worked out before a date is agreed, which is also what keeps the lift on programme.

Can you lift in a narrow Southsea street?

Often, yes, with a compact machine and usually a parking suspension. Send us the address and photos of the street and we’ll tell you what is workable before you commit to a date.

Get a quote for crane hire in Portsmouth

• Phone: 023 9388 2296
• Email: portsmouth@synergy-lifting.co.uk

We also provide crane hire in Southampton, Bournemouth, Brighton and Reading. See all the areas we cover.