Port of Virginia orders four new cranes

With a price tag of $44.8 million, the ship-to-shore cranes will be the largest delivered to the U.S. by builder Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., according to Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Board Chairman John G. Milliken.    The Port of Virginia has signed a contract for the purchase of four new ship-to-shore cranes as part of the $320 million expansion of Virginia International Gateway (VIG).
   Built by Shanghai-based Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd (ZPMC) at a total cost of $44.8 million, the new cranes will be able to handle the larger containerships currently calling the Port of Virginia, as well as even larger vessels in the future. The cranes will have a height of 170 feet and a lifting capacity of 65 long tons under a twin-20-foot spreader or 100 long tons under cargo hook, according to the port.
   “These cranes are the biggest of the big – the largest ZPMC has ever delivered to the U.S.” said Virginia Port Authority (VPA) Board Chairman John G. Milliken. “What is unique about these cranes is their outreach, they will be able to reach across a vessel that is 26 containers wide, which is three-to-four containers wider than most cranes. We anticipated needing this capacity (of the cranes) for the ships that will be coming to Virginia 10 years from now. When that day comes the Port of Virginia will be ready.”
   The crane contract also includes the purchase of several specialized cargo handling components for the cranes and an option for two additional ship-to-shore cranes for use at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT), said the port.
   “Acquiring these cranes is another important step in the larger expansion efforts underway at VIG,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the VPA. “The big ships calling the port are only getting bigger and we are charting our course for the future to ensure we will be able to accommodate the larger capacities still to come.”
   Engineers from the Port of Virginia will visit the ZPMC facility to oversee the manufacturing process and ensure the cranes are up to specs, said the port. The new cranes are slated for delivery in April 2019. Once they are delivered, the Port of Virginia will have 30 ship-to-shore cranes, with VIG having 12 cranes, NIT having 14, and Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) having six.
   For more information on the $320 million expansion project at VIG, read American Shipper’s “Special Coverage: Port of Virginia full speed ahead on major expansion plans.”