The machine became operational at the south harbour of the North Sea port in December 2015. The cost effective, service friendly and ergonomic reach stacker will operate the twice weekly container service and stack yard. The machine will also be used for client port training purposes. With a wheelbase of 6,200 mm, the Terex Liftace 5-31 reach stacker offers a maximum load capacity of 45 t in the first container row and 31 t in the second container row.
The Port of Blyth is the operating division of Blyth Harbour Commission, a modern Trust Port operated for the benefit of all stakeholders. It is used as a strategic hub by many shippers looking to serve northern England, Scotland and the Netherlands. The port handles a diverse range of cargoes but has a strong reputation for servicing the energy sector, forest products, container and dry bulk sectors. Port of Blyth’s Technical Director, Alan Todd, stated that the high performance and manoeuvrability of the Liftace 5-31 reach stacker would help improve productivity: “We have a
leading position in the north-east of England, and our container operations are developing rapidly. This investment has been made to speed up our container
handling activities and provide an unparalleled level of service to our growing customer base.” He added: “We operate in the immediate vicinity of a residential area and we have an environmental responsibility to our neighbours. The low level of emissions from the Liftace-31 reach stacker was an important factor in the decision making process.”
Alex Stogianidis, Director United Kingdom, TPS, was delighted to secure the first UK order for a Liftace 5-31 reach stacker. “We have enjoyed strong sales of Liftace reach stackers in Europe, since the product launch in early 2015. The combination of competitive operating costs, ease of maintenance and operator comfort meets the requirements of many operators and we expect the order from the Port of Blyth to be the first of many in the UK.”