Towering nearly 30 stories high, the new electric ship-to-shore cranes, which were ordered from Konecranes, are the largest STS ever built by the company. They are 289 feet tall with a lift height of 204 feet and they will handle ships 22 containers wide.
“As part of a substantial upgrade of our Barbours Cut Container Terminal, these new Super Post-Panamax cranes will accommodate the significantly larger vessels that will be calling on our container terminals after the expansion of the Panama Canal,” Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria said. “International trade, primarily containerized cargo, continues to expand rapidly at our facilities. More trade means more jobs and economic activity for our region and state in support of our mission.”
The new cranes can lift and lower a loaded container at twice the speed of those currently in use at the Barbours Cut terminal. The meticulous operation of moving the cranes from the vessel to the wharf was completed when the fourth crane was offloaded on May 19, marking the beginning of a new era for the Barbours Cut terminal. In the coming weeks, these cranes will be tested and readied for operation. All the cranes should be operational by early fall. The nearly USD50 million contract for the cranes was approved by the Port Commission in 2013.