A new £2.1million crane has been installed at Portsmouth International Port.
The 40-metre heavy lift mobile harbour crane, manufactured by Konecranes Gottwald, can lift weights up to 125 tonnes, making it well suited for fully laden shipping containers.
In recent years many customers importing fresh produce to Portsmouth International Port have moved from lighter pallets to heavier containers, the port explained. And the port’s latest investment is designed to maintain contracts with current major customers, as well as making it more attractive to new business.
The new mobile harbour crane replaces two old cranes, Crane 1 and Crane 2, both of which are 15 years old and have lower lifting capacities and reach than the new one.
The newly installed Terex crane has an increased operating radius of 51 metres, compared to 46 metres, and a 25 per cent increase in lifting capacity over the cranes that it is replacing. This makes it the crane with the highest capacity on the south coast.
Mike Sellers, port director at Portsmouth International Port, said: “Continued investment and improvements will help Portsmouth International Port maintain its status as a key destination for imports of fresh produce from all over the world.”
Companies such as Maersk, Fyffes and Geest Line already use the port for the majority of their UK fruit imports, with the port’s leading handler of fresh produce MMD Ltd, currently handling 70 per cent of all bananas consumed in the UK.
Recent investments at Portsmouth International Port have made it possible for larger ships to dock and unload quickly and easily. The repositioning of HMS Bristol has created a wider turning circle, while the removal of the ‘floating dock’ jetty has helped improve navigation.
This, along with dredging in Portsmouth Harbour, has meant longer and larger container ships can now be accommodated at the port.
