A Scottish-built crane located in Japan’s Nagasaki harbour is to be scanned as part of the Scottish Ten initiative, which was set up to produce 3-D records of well-known landmarks.
Scotland’s five UNESCO world-heritage sites have already been ‘mapped’; the Nagasaki Giant Cantilever Crane will be the last of the 10 to be scanned.
The crane, which is still used by the Mitsubishi group, was built in 1909.
Designed by the Glasgow Electric Crane & Hoist Co and constructed by the Motherwell Bridge Co, it was ordered by Fraserburgh-born Thomas Blake Glover, who is seen as a key figure in the industrialisation of Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Culture, said: “Scotland and Japan have long-standing cultural links — particularly in Nagasaki, thanks to Thomas Blake Glover, whose innovation and foresight are still celebrated today.
“This crane is a fitting symbol of Scotland’s engineering prowess and of her influence across the world.
“More than 100 years on from its construction by Scottish designers and engineers, we are sending a team of modern-day experts to digitally record and document this impressive structure.
"The information they generate will not only help current and future generations to care for the crane but will also promote a wider appreciation of its design and operation, and of the exemplary maintenance regime that means it continues to work every day.”
The Scottish Ten is a collaboration between specialists at the Historic Scotland organisation, experts in 3-D visualisation at the Glasgow School of Art and the not-for-profit digital group CyArk.