Port of Wilmington orders Konecrane equipment

The nine all-electric RTG cranes and three reach stackers are “the first part of $100 million to be invested in the first year” of a $500 million plan, GT USA Wilmington CEO says.

   Gulftainer USA Wilmington has placed an order with Konecranes for nine all-electric 41-ton rubber tire gantry (RTG) cranes and three 45-ton reach stackers, which are expected to be delivered in 2019 and 2020, the two sides announced Thursday in separate press releases.
   The value of the deal was not disclosed, but Eric Casey, CEO of GT USA Wilmington, said the “equipment forms the first part of $100 million to be invested in the first year” of a total investment of more than $500 million.
   The reach stackers, which are capable of stacking containers five high, will be delivered in the second quarter of this year. They will be equipped with fire suppression systems, central lubrication and reversing sensors.
   The RTGs will run on electric power supplied by a busbar system and will be backed up by battery packs, “thus eliminating exhaust emissions completely,” according to GT USA Wilmington’s press release. The cranes, which are capable of stacking containers five high and seven rows wide with a truck lane to increase yard stacking capacity, are scheduled to be delivered in the first and fourth quarters of 2020. 
   The cranes also will be equipped with an active load control system, which eliminates container sway, and a stack collision prevention system.
   “This new equipment underlines our obligation to further strengthen our operations at the terminal and defines the [Port of Wilmington’s] credentials as the number one gateway for imports of fresh fruit and juice concentrate in North America,” Casey said. “We will continue to invest in our facilities to support the efficiency of operations and maximize productivity to create even better value for our customers.”