Port to buy two 100-foot gantry cranes

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has approved a $23.4M purchase of two new 100-foot gauge container gantry cranes to be used at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. These cranes are vital to the port’s success and growth, according to President/CEO at Port NOLA Brandy D. Christian. “They will increase our efficiency so we can accommodate larger and wider (and international) ships more quickly and meet the growing needs of our carriers and shippers.” The contract went to Shanghai (China) Zenhua Heavy Industries for construction and delivery of the cranes. There are no U.S.-based manufacturers of container gantry cranes. The port’s plan is to handle larger international container ships requiring equipment with increased capacity. Larger container ships serving the Gulf of Mexico range from 8,000-9,500 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) and are increasing in frequency, and best served by 100-foot cranes. Port NOLA is also in the midst of an engineering and design phase of extending the 100-foot gauge rail tracks for the new cranes. The purchase supports Port NOLA’s strategic master plan to invest in its facilities to meet projected volume, which grew by 12.3 percent in 2018 – an all-time high of 591,253 TEUs. Port NOLA’s terminal is Louisiana’s only container terminal participating in international trade. It reaches 58 global ports of call and connects with 450-plus via trans-shipments with containerized and break-bulk cargo. The project is tentatively scheduled to take up to 20 months from contract approval. (Source: Marine Link 03/29/19)