Port of Wilmington, N.C. to receive new cranes

The two ship-to-shore cranes the port is scheduled to receive from ZPMC in early 2018 will be able to work the larger ships that can now transit the Panama Canal’s new locks.    North Carolina Ports has ordered two new ship-to-shore cranes from designer Shanghai Zhenjua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) for the Port of Wilmington.
   The new cranes are expected to arrive in early 2018 and will be able to work the larger ships that can transit the new locks at the Panama Canal. The total cost of the crane project is $27.4 million.
   The port also has an option for two more cranes from ZPMC.
   The order means the Port of Wilmington will potentially feature a total of 10 container cranes that will operate along a 2,650-foot container berth complex.
   “If we exercise the option for the other two, we will have eight cranes capable of handling post-Panamax vessels,” port spokesman Cliff Pyron said. “We currently have four post-Panamax cranes right now at our Port of Wilmington. The new ones will be larger to accommodate even bigger vessels that will be transiting the expanded locks of the Panama Canal.”
   Currently, the Port of Wilmington can handle 10,000-TEU class vessels with its expanded turning basin, post-Panamax berth and post-Panamax cranes.
   “This investment ensures that our best-in-class efficiencies will continue well into the future,” Executive Director Paul J. Cozza said. “Our high vessel and terminal productivity will be enhanced with this addition, thus keeping vessels on schedule and reducing inventory and logistics costs.”