crane: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 22, 2026

Photos

Figure 1: Simple pivoting hand-operated jib crane

Figure 2: Traveling jib crane

Figure 3: Cantilever crane used in shipyards

Figure 4: Overhead traveling crane

shipping docks and shore-based cranes

Rainforest canopy crane at Fort Sherman, Panama.

cranes unloading containers

See All Images →

Topics

hammerhead crane jib crane gantry crane bridge crane crane truck derrick traveling jib crane floating crane overhead traveling crane Musashi hoist excavating machine railroad How was Venice built on water?bridge canals and inland waterways road dam water supply system pipeline

Key People

Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci drawn in red chalk, showing an elderly man with long hair and a flowing beard, with a serious, contemplative expression.

Leonardo da Vinci

Italian artist, engineer, and scientist