Last week PSA International reported the arrival of 4 mega cranes to its facilities in Antwerp. The new STS cranes were manufactured by ZPMC, China, and delivered on 23 March 2017 on board heavy lift vessel MS Zhen Hua 24. Two of them are destined for PSA Antwerp’s Noordzee Terminal and two for MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET).
The new cranes have a hoisting height of 50m and can reach across 25 rows of containers, making them fully capable of handling the world’s largest containerships. These dual hoist cranes can handle two 40-foot containers or four 20-foot containers with each lift.
All the cranes are expected to be operational by May 2017.
Additionally, a second batch of four identical cranes was shipped on board MS Zhen Hua 20 last week for the port of Antwerp. These cranes are expected to be delivered in May 2017, again two each for Noordzee Terminal and MPET.
As wrote earlier, MPET was undergoing a tremendous relocation and upgrading project last year. With the new cranes installed, this project will be fully completed, providing MPET with 41 quay cranes and strengthening its status as the largest container terminal in Europe. The terminal acts as a key regional hub for the 2M alliance, aiming to offer high turnaround times.
The new cranes for Noordzee Terminal form part of an overall upgrading programme, which also involves quay deepening and berth extension. According to PSA, upon completion of this programme, the terminal will be fully equipped to meet the needs of shipping alliances and handle multiple mega-vessels simultaneously.