DP World has invested £60 million ($75.6 million) in the UK’s trade capacity by ordering four new quay cranes for its Southampton container terminal.
The new cranes will reportedly be Europe’s largest quay cranes, capable of doing quad lifts, which include transferring two 40-foot containers from ship to yard in a single motion, decreasing the time required to load and unload huge container vessels.
The dock cranes, which weigh more than 2,000 tonnes, are due to arrive in mid-2026.
The cranes are designed to serve the biggest ships currently in operation, including 24,000 TEU mega ships and have an operating lifespan of about 25 years.
Aart Hille Ris Lambers, Vice President – Commercial, Ports & Terminals at DP World in the UK, said: “As our productivity and handling rates at Southampton continue to grow year-on-year (YoY), and we develop our nationwide end-to-end supply chain network, we’re always looking for ways to improve our infrastructure and our offer to customers, while serving the national interest.”
Recently, DP World Southampton welcomed the first ship to arrive under the Gemini Cooperation arrangement.