Port Freeport has delivered two Super Post-Panamax Ship-to-Shore Gantry Cranes on 22 September.
Transported fully erected aboard a heavy-lift vessel, the cranes were carefully offloaded and secured to the docks.
Following installation and testing this autumn, the new equipment will be placed in service, dramatically expanding the port’s capacity to service some of the world’s largest container vessels efficiently.
Towering more than 300 feet high and weighing over 1,600 tonnes each, the cranes feature the ability to reach across 22 containers wide with a lift above the dock of 178.8 feet.
Outfitted with advanced technology, they are designed to handle cargo with greater safety and efficiency, representing one of the most significant equipment upgrades in Port Freeport’s history.
Rob Giesecke, Chairman of the Port Freeport Commission, said: “These cranes are a major investment in the future of Port Freeport and our community. They will act as a catalyst for future growth, helping us attract new business, create more jobs, and increase operating revenues to keep Port Freeport at zero-tax.”
Phyllis Saathoff, Executive Director/CEO of Port Freeport, stated: “The addition of the new Super Post-Panamax cranes at the expanded container terminal berths, combined with the substantial completion of the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project by year’s end, is a defining moment for the Port and a great way to start the port’s next century.
“As we commemorate our Centennial, this achievement underscores our unwavering commitment to developing world-class infrastructure that will benefit our region for many years to come.”
Last month, Port Freeport cut the ribbon for Gate 12, a major infrastructure project that enhances access and efficiency at the Velasco Container Terminal.
