THE Port of Savannah has commissioned the first of four new neopanamax ship-to-shore cranes its Garden City Terminal, bringing its crane fleet to 23. Each new crane designed by Finland's Konecranes can lift 65 tons to a height 152 feet above the dock, meaning they can work the largest ships calling on the US east coast.
"Expanding our capabilities means we are able to grow along with our customers, and adjust to changes in the logistics marketplace, such as increasing vessel sizes," said GPA chief operating officer Ed McCarthy.
The terminal will add another crane every two weeks until late April, bringing the total number to 26 this year: 20 neopanamax cranes and six postpanamax cranes. Port officials said another four neopanamax cranes are on order and will be commissioned in 2018.
The growing crane fleet, working over 10,000 contiguous feet of dock, will be able to handle 1,000 container moves per hour when all 30 cranes are in place.
The Georgia Port Authority registered 14.4 per cent growth in containerised trade for February.
