The OI-CT, a four-legged industrial crane transport walker, was built by Kuat Drive Yards. It was used by both the Galactic Empire and the New Republic.
These enormous, mobile crane walkers, known as OI-CTs, were deployed across various industrial worlds under Imperial control leading up to the Galactic Civil War. These walkers, designed for non-combat use, could navigate diverse landscapes, including shallow water and volcanic mountains. The OI-CT's structure included large metal beams and two thick cables converging at the front to create a prominent crane boom and jib.
These walkers were frequently employed for tasks like moving shipping containers or lifting ships in salvage yards. Operators utilized these balanced frames to move heavy or awkward objects. The four-legged design enhanced stability, allowing operators to brace and adjust the legs to accommodate oversized loads.
Kuat Drive Yards, a company famous for creating other influential walkers like the All Terrain Armored Transport and the All Terrain Scout Transport, manufactured the OI-CT. These walkers were notably used on the planet Corellia from as early as 13 BBY to as late as 9 ABY, moving through the shallow waters around Coronet City's Santhe Shipyards. They also saw action on Mustafar during the construction of Fortress Vader by 12 BBY.
Furthermore, they were spotted around Ferrix City on the planet Ferrix as late as 5 BBY, where local scrappers used them alongside heavy industrial crane transports. By 9 ABY, the New Republic also used them in post-Imperial salvage yards on Coruscant, parked next to dismantled Imperial-class Star Destroyers during nighttime off-hours.
The OI-CT made its debut in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story, but it wasn't identified until 2019 in a video on the official "Star Wars Kids" YouTube channel. James Clyne, design supervisor at Lucasfilm, pitched the concept, while concept artist Vincent Jenkins is also credited with the walker's final design, with additional concepts from Thang Le.
Pablo Hidalgo mentioned in a Twitter thread on April 11, 2023 that the OI-CT references a real-life story about AT-ATs being inspired by Oakland cranes. Although he denies this claim, as George Lucas has previously done, he jokingly revealed that he might have named the OI-CT either "Outsized Industrial Crane Transport" or "Oakland International Container Terminal." Hidalgo concluded by confirming that James Clyne significantly contributed to the OI-CT's design and likely drew inspiration from those cranes, completing the circle.
The official naming of the heavy industrial crane transport (HI-CT) and its acronym in a preview for the 2024 book Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy supports the idea that "Outsized Industrial Crane Transport" is indeed the walker's real in-universe name.