Seven ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 20 rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes have arrived for installation in the Port of Tema, Ghana, ahead of the opening on June 28.
These are some of the final pieces of a US$1.0bn investment by APM Terminals (APMT) and its partners in Meridian Port Services (MPS), Bolloré Africa Logistics and Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority.
The breakwater and access channel, able to accommodate the world’s largest container ships, and the first two deep-water berths are expected to be able to receive commercial vessels by the end of June 2019.
Port infrastructure for receiving and delivering containers from/to shippers and consignees will also be ready. Crane commissioning and operator training are now taking place.
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The third new berth will be operational in the first quarter of 2020, ahead of the scheduled completion in June 2020. A fourth berth will follow bringing the quay length to 1,400 m.
The seven super post-Panamax STS cranes will have a towering height of 89 m, and 134 m high with the boom raised.
They offer a 50.8 m lift height (above rail) and a 66 m outreach capable of handling containers on board vessels up to 23 rows, and over 10 on deck. They have a maximum lift of 65 tonnes (twin lift).
The port has also taken delivery of a fleet of 20 electric RTGs (eRTGs) capable of stacking containers seven wide and one over five high in the container yards.
The cranes are electrically powered instead of using diesel generators, in an effort to contribute to an improvement in the environment.
This infrastructure project is being managed by MPS, a joint venture between APMT (35%) Bolloré Africa Logistics (35%) and the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (30%).
The existing container facility, operated by MPS since 2007, has reached maximum capacity and the new port will have an annual throughput capacity of 3.5m teu.
The operators hope that the port will be able to serve as a regional hub for West Africa by offering direct services, shorter transit times and competitive sea freight rates.
Source: container-mag