Virtual simulation of the real behaviour of mobile harbour crane (MHC) without using the traditional build-and-test method is an imperative approach to the design stage that can increase the quality of the product by reducing manufacturing cost and errors. This paper introduces an engineering model that describes the mechanical behaviour of MHC, and the control design for increasing the position accuracy. Based on a concept of the MHC, a virtual mechanical model was created using SOLIDWOKS, which was then exported to the Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical System (ADAMS) environment. This model was simulated to investigate the dynamic behaviour of the MHC system. In addition, an adaptive siding mode PID controller was also developed in MATLAB/Simulink to control the crane trolley position and suppress the swing angle of the load. This co-simulation demonstrates the reliability of the mechanical and control functionalities of the developed system.