The cranes arrived on a specialized vessel June 5. After the cranes were offloaded, crews began raising the booms, and the electrical and machinery housings roughly 100 feet to their proper position. Additional on-site work included elevator installation and final wiring connections.

“Our new cranes, coupled with the pending harbor deepening and superior road and rail connections beyond our gates, mean the Port of Savannah is poised to take advantage of the next evolution in global commerce,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

The first of the new cranes went into service in August, with additional cranes coming online every few weeks. Today, the fourth new super post-Panamax crane begins moving cargo. Each new crane can lift up to 65 tons.

When the deeper Panama Canal opens in 2015, the average vessel calling on the U.S. East Coast is expected to shift from a capacity of 4,500 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) to approximately 9,000 TEUs. The larger vessels will offer 20 percent to 40 percent savings on shipping costs.

“The four additional ship-to-shore cranes increase our fleet to 27, including nine post-Panamax and 16 super post-Panamax cranes,” said Chief Operating Officer Griff Lynch. “Operating over 9,700 feet of contiguous berth space, the new equipment will mean even faster turn times for the vessels calling on Savannah — generating both time and cost savings for port customers.”  

Lynch said ships calling on Savannah already enjoy immediate service upon arrival, instead of having to wait for a leased berth space to open. He added that the improvements to the Port of Savannah’s crane fleet demonstrate the GPA’s commitment to expand capacity, provide more opportunities for growth and greater flexibility to meet customer needs.  

“With on-terminal improvements such as these new ship-to-shore cranes and the state’s expansion of truck routes beyond our gates, Georgia is making the capacity improvements necessary to keep pace with global trade,” said GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson.

VOSTA LMG is responsible for delivery of the engineering and the dredging equipment. The Cassiopeia V is a self propelled Cutter Suction Dredger equipped with three dredge pumps, flexible spud carrier system, anchor booms, barge loading installation and a traveling deck crane. It is diesel electric driven and propelled by means of two azimuth thrusters.

The general particulars are as follows:

Length overall:                                  123,2 m

Total installed power:                    19.215 kW

Cutter Power:                                   3.000 kW

Dredging depth                                                32 m

Suction Pipe diameter:                  900 mm

Discharge Pipe diameter:             850 mm

The delivery of VOSTA LMG includes:

Basic and detailed engineering, cutter heads, ladder front part, cutter drive shaft and bearings and main auxiliary spud carrier, spud tilting system, swivel bend and click in coupling, all winches and sheaves, dredge pumps, inspection pieces, hydraulic system, dredge control system and technical support on site.

This successful implementation allows LBCT to streamline current operations and prepare for the implementation of N4 for the new advanced terminal under construction at Middle Harbor Terminal in Long Beach, California.

“Migrating from SPARCS Express to N4 at LBCT’s Pier F facility provides us with the critical technology foundation and implementation experience needed to ensure an efficient N4 go-live at the new Middle Harbor Terminal site in early 2015,” says Anthony Otto, President and CEO at LBCT. “The teamwork between LBCT and Navis during the go-live was impressive. TOS implementations are often a complex undertaking involving the integration of multiple systems into one overall solution. At Pier F, we were able to minimize any disruption to our existing operations and the team gained valuable experience in leveraging the new technology.”

LBCT and the Middle Harbor Terminal project will create one of the most advanced and energy efficient container terminals in the world. It is also expected to boost the local economy, creating nearly 14,000 jobs in the greater Los Angeles/Long Beach area as a result and bring a competitive advantage to the regional and national supply chain.

“Container terminals are essential logistics hubs for ocean, rail and truck freight transport. Efficient operations and tight integration between LBCT and the regions’ transportation and logistics chain is essential for long term economic growth,” says Bill Walsh, President and CEO of Navis. “We are pleased to be an important partner in this project and we’re looking forward to working together with LBCT to move Middle Harbor Terminal into full operations in 2015.”

Vehicles manufactured in Mexico were loaded for export to Latin American destinations aboard the NYK Line vessel, MV TALIA. This marked the commencement of operations which will later involve the construction and operation of a major RoRo facility in Lázaro Cárdenas. The new terminal will be one-of-a-kind in Mexico, offering 600 meters of waterfront, two berthing positions dedicated to RoRo Vessels, 42 hectares of storage yard, and an array of vehicle services.

This marks an important step in the modernization of the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas. The Port’s specialized automobile terminal will serve as the center of Mexico’s vehicle handling operations as well as a hub for this activity along the Pacific Coast.

This milestone is the result of collaboration with the Lázaro Cárdenas Port Authority and will support Mexico’s continued economic growth.