Port of Antwerp, Belgium

Ports are investing in new cranes and upgrades to deal with the first delivery of Maersk’s Triple-E 18,270 teu ship in June and the prospect that this size of containership will become the ‘new normal’ on the Asia-Europe trade lane.

The Port of Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe in terms of freight volumes. Located on the right bank of the river Scheldt, about 88km south-east of the North Sea, the port is a major gateway to Europe. It is owned and operated by the Antwerp Port Authority. The port connects other major European ports as it is strategically situated in the centre of the north-west Europe. The port is accessible to capesize vessels.

In Antwerp, Kalmar – part of the Finnish Cargotec group – has just completed the heightening of six cranes at the MSC Home Terminal. The project involved increasing the hoisting height of the gantry cranes from 38 metres to 42 metres above quay level.

This required jacking up the crane and inserting a heightening construction.

To maintain rigidity, the sill beam was strengthened and bracers installed at the waterside portal frame. Technical manager at MSC Home Terminal Hugo Borr said: “The ability to handle the larger vessels that are coming through is a critical factor.

"We decided to increase the height of six quay cranes to match the 42 metres hoisting capacity of several existing cranes.”

Cost implications for ports having to accommodate the new larger vessels are significant and many operators have openly questioned the benefits. The average 18,000 teu ship requires an overall berth length of 400 metres and a breadth of 59 metres.

With post-panamax cranes currently costing between US$5m-US$8m and each 18,000 teu ship requiring eight cranes to discharge efficiently, ports have found themselves facing hefty investment.

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