Measuring only 53 metres high, the cranes are able to handle containers stacked eight high and reach 22 rows across, compared to six high and 16 across by the port’s current largest ship-to-shore cranes measuring 46 metres high.
Costing $13.8m each, the cranes are believed to be the largest ‘low-profile’ STS type ever designed and built, extending out rather than up to avoid the flight path of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), which is less than two miles away. The port has an option to buy three more.
The new cranes will enable the port “to work larger ships and gain economies of scale, thus making Port Everglades more competitive,” commented chief executive and port director Jonathan Daniels.
The new cranes are part of the port’s $3bn 20-Year Master/Vision Plan Update, which will add new cargo berths, expand cruise and energy capacity and improve navigation channels to handle larger ships.
Source: Seatrade Maritime
