Port of Salalah buys cranes

Port of Salalah buys cranes    The Port of Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman has invested in new container handling equipment as part of its plans to increase the annual capacity to about 6 million TEUs by mid-2009.
   The APM Terminals-operated port handed more than 2.6 million TEUs in 2007 and is forecasting 4.5 million TEUs in 2008.
   The new equipment includes four super post-Panamax gantry cranes to add to the 17 it already has. The cranes, which can reach containers stacked 23 across on deck, will be used at its two new 18 meter depth berths. Other new purchases include four mobile harbor cranes, 10 new spreaders with twin-pick capability and 11 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes.
   'To ensure continued success we must make necessary long-term investments,' said Gary Lemke, Port of Salalah chief executive officer. 'Our business growth makes it important for us to increase available capacity in order to maintain our consistently high quality service to our customers as our throughput continues to increase.'
   The Indian Ocean port is a joint venture between the government of Oman, A.P. Moller ' Maersk and other Omani investors.