Marine crane finance
Funding for deck-mounted and quayside marine cranes used for cargo handling, gear recovery, aquaculture servicing, buoy work and routine harbour maintenance duties.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a marine crane?
Yes. Marine cranes are funded as commercial lifting equipment, whether they are being fitted to a workboat deck or installed on a quay. New cranes from recognised manufacturers are simplest, and used units are fundable where the examination and service history is complete. The issue specific to marine cranes is corrosion and certification: a crane working in salt water needs a marine specification and a current thorough examination, and a funder will not treat a landbased crane certificate as evidence that a deck crane is fit to work.
Used kit: Yes — used marine cranes fund where the thorough examination record is current and corrosion has been properly managed and documented.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a marine crane cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Lifting equipment funders handle these rather than boat lenders, but the marine context changes what they ask for. A deck crane becomes part of the vessel once installed, so the funder wants the boat identified on the agreement and needs to know whether any marine mortgage already sits over the hull, because a second charge over installed equipment on a financed vessel creates a conflict nobody wants to discover late. Salt water service also shortens working life, so residual values are set more cautiously than for an identical land crane. Quayside installations raise the opposite question, where the pedestal and foundation are site works while the crane itself is the fundable equipment.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Palfinger Marine PK 65002M | Knuckle boom deck crane |
| Palfinger Marine PK 15500M | Compact vessel deck crane |
| Heila HLRM 70 marine crane | Telescopic marine deck crane |
| Effer 175M marine crane | Knuckle boom crane for workboats |
| Hiab SeaCrane 166 | Vessel mounted lorry loader crane |
| Liebherr LHM 180 mobile harbour crane | Quayside mobile harbour crane |
| Thistle Marine deck cranes | Fishing vessel gear handling crane |
| Guerra M180 marine crane | Hydraulic vessel deck crane |
| Palfinger man riding rated crane | Person rated lifting crane |
| Bosch Rexroth hydraulic power pack | Crane hydraulic power unit |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Workboat operators handling moorings, buoys and marine construction materials, fishing vessels recovering gear, harbour authorities carrying out maintenance from the quay, and aquaculture service boats lifting nets, feed and equipment. The trigger is usually a contract requiring a specific lifting capacity or reach that the current crane cannot meet, or an existing unit failing its examination and taking the vessel out of service at the worst possible moment.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Marine crane finance questions
Does a deck crane need to be marine specification?
Yes. Salt water and constant motion are hard on a crane, and a unit built for land use will corrode and fail certification. Funders want the marine specification confirmed because a crane that cannot pass examination cannot be used and has little resale value. Stainless fittings, sealed electrics and a disciplined wash-down regime all help.
My boat is already on finance. Can I still fund a crane for it?
You can, but the existing funder needs to be involved. Once installed, the crane forms part of their security, so the two agreements have to be reconciled. Tell us about the existing marine finance at the start rather than at completion. Doing so avoids a late delay while the first funder is asked for its consent.
Can the installation be included?
Usually yes. Deck strengthening, hydraulics and commissioning are part of getting the crane working and funders in this market expect to see a single yard quotation. Structural work to the vessel itself is assessed case by case. Ask the yard to quote strengthening, hydraulics and commissioning as one job so nothing is missed.
Is a quayside crane funded the same way?
The crane is, but the foundation is not. A pedestal, its piling and any quay strengthening are site works belonging to the property. The crane, controls and lifting gear are equipment and can be funded, so split the two in your budget. Settle early which contractor carries responsibility for the foundation design.
How does thorough examination affect the agreement?
A current examination certificate is effectively the crane’s right to work. Funders check it at the outset and expect it to be maintained. Letting certification lapse devalues the asset and can breach the maintenance obligations in the agreement. Book examinations ahead of the season so the vessel is not held alongside waiting.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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See everything we fund in boat and marine finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.