Already in June 2015 HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) has ordered two state-of-the-art container gantry cranes which can handle the biggest ships in the world at present and will begin operating at Tollerort at the end of 2016. The contract with the company Liebherr included an option for another three container gantry cranes of the same type, which has now been exercised by HHLA. The gantry cranes are expected to go into operation at Tollerort at the end of 2017. The terminal will then have five 20,000-TEU gantry cranes.
The number of calls by ultra large container vessels increased erratically in the last year. In the first half of 2016, ships with a carrying capacity of at least 14,000 TEU docked at the Hamburg Port 97 times – a rise of 83 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Dr. Stefan Behn, member of the Executive Board of the Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, emphasizes the significance of the investment decision: “With five state-of-the-art 20,000-TEU gantry cranes, Tollerort is perfectly equipped to efficiently handle the growing number of ultra large container vessels and to offer our shipping company customers the same good service that they have come to expect and value. Together with the two 20,000-TEU berths at Burchardkai, we will offer our customers three berths that can handle the biggest ships in the world. This will increase Hamburg’s attractiveness as a port location.”
The newly ordered container gantry cranes are the same model as the two gantry cranes at Container Terminal Tollerort ordered last year. They have a jib length of 74 meters and a lifting height of 51.5 meters above the quay wall. They are designed for container ships with 24 transverse container rows and can discharge and load two 20-foot containers simultaneously when operating in twin mode. Each container gantry crane weighs 1,500 tonnes and can handle a maximum payload of 63 tonnes.
