A crane that played a pivotal role in the history of Scottish shipbuilding has joined the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Harbour Bridge as a world engineering landmark.

The 106-year-old Titan Crane in Clydebank, Glasgow, was used to fit out some of the biggest ships to sail out of the city such as the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and QE2.

A tourist attraction since 2007, it remains an important feat of engineering and has now been designated an International Historic Civil and Mechanical Engineering Landmark in a ceremony.

The award is from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) board of direction and is endorsed by the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society for Mechanical Engineers. Earlier this week, a plaque was unveiled beside the crane by Andrew Herrmann, former resident of the ASCE.

He said: "The Titan Crane is a beacon among cranes as it influenced the development of many similar cranes across the globe. The ASCE is honoured to join for the first time with three other engineering societies to designate the Titan as an international historic engineering landmark." Previous recipients of the accolade are the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Thames Tunnel and Machu Picchu. Peru.

Last year the Titan, which was built for £24,600 by Sir William Arrol & Co in 1907, received an Institution of Mechanical Engineers engineering heritage award. In 2007, the grade A-listed structure was refurbished and turned into museum about shipbuilding in Clydebank. A lift was also installed to take visitors up to the Titan's 150ft-high platform.

The crane was responsible for fitting out many ships such as the big Cunard liners, Navy warships and, alongside Glasgow's shipyards, was vital to Britain's war efforts. It came through the Clydebank Blitz in March 1941 unscathed.

It is now one of only 13 left of its kind after paving the way for similar cranes across the world. The design of the crane, which included a fixed counterweight and electrically operated hoists, mounted on a rotated beam, meant it was faster and more responsive than other cranes at the time. It could lift loads of up to 160 tonnes and Hunter's crane became the most widely adopted design in the world.