Building a Capital From Scratch: Potain Cranes Lift the Palaces of Nusantara

Two Potain tower cranes have been at work since 2023 on the Garuda Palace and the State Palace, the symbolic heart of Indonesia’s new capital city

Few jobsites carry as much political weight as this one. In Nusantara, the new capital Indonesia is building on the island of Borneo, the presidential palaces are among the first landmarks of the city’s first development phase. The schedule is tight, and the cranes cannot be the reason it slips.

Two Potain tower cranes, an MC 310 K12 and an MC 205 B, are supporting construction on both the Garuda Palace (Istana Garuda) and the State Palace (Istana Negara). They have been working since February 2023, rented to the projects by PT Potaindo Machinery, which also provides service through its own technicians and parts stock.

Reach and freestanding height

The job calls for long reach and high freestanding heights, and both cranes are set up accordingly.

• The 12-tonne MC 310 K12 works at a freestanding height of 52 metres with a 70-metre jib, lifting 3.2 tonnes at the jib end.
• The 10-tonne MC 205 B stands at 59.7 metres with a 60-metre jib and lifts 2.4 tonnes at the tip.

Both are used mainly for steel and structural components.

“The construction of Indonesia’s new presidential palaces is a landmark project that demands reliable equipment capable of supporting consistent progress,” said Johnny Kuah, regional sales manager at Potain. The combination of lifting performance, reach and reliability, he said, helps contractors keep productivity up on complex sites.

Why local service matters

On a national project that must be finished as soon as possible, a crane standing idle is a visible problem. That is where the rental model with local backup earns its keep: PT Potaindo Machinery supplies the machines and keeps them running with technicians and parts on hand, so the contractor does not carry the maintenance risk.

The site has also achieved Zero Accident certification, a point Potain highlights given the complexity of the works.

Newer models already in the range

Both cranes have since been replaced in the Potain line-up: the MC 310 K12 by the MCT 325 L12 and the MC 205 B by the MCT 205. As Nusantara moves beyond its first phase, the demand for tower cranes on the island is only likely to grow.