On 5th November, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) took delivery of three new container gantry cranes for its Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB) in Hamburg. The new gantry cranes manufactured by ZPMC will replace three smaller units at CTB, which have already been dismantled. HHLA is expecting delivery of another two large container gantry cranes of the same type in the first quarter of 2020. After the new handling equipment has gradually commenced operating, HHLA will have an additional mega-ship berth at Burchardkai.
“By investing in five new container gantry cranes and creating another mega-ship berth, we are providing our shipping company customers with additional capacities and greater flexibility in handling ultra large container vessels with a transport capacity of more than 23,000 standard containers,” says HHLA Executive Board member Jens Hansen.
The largest container gantry cranes currently at the Port of Hamburg can accommodate ships with a width of 24 containers side by side. The jibs of the new cranes are almost 80 metres long and can reach across 26 rows of containers. These giants, each weighing 2,480 tonnes, can move two 40-foot containers or four 20-foot containers with a combined weight of 110 tonnes in one go. Over 30 container gantry cranes are now in operation at HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai. 18 of these are so-called mega-ship cranes.
The investment in new container gantry cranes is part of an expansion programme at CTB. In addition to new container gantry cranes and other handling equipment, this includes the construction of new storage blocks and the expansion of the container railway station in 2019. HHLA plans to invest EUR 1 billion throughout the Group by 2022, approximately EUR 450 million of which will be spent on container handling.
