Two New Post-Panamax cranes readied for service at Port of Le Havre

Two new post-panamax cranes will come into service at month’s end at the Atlantic Quay, one of the busiest container terminals at the Port of Le Havre.

The cranes will join two others that started operation at the Atlantic and Americas Quay complex in February. The port, which invested U.S. $21 million for the four new cranes, will also extend the Americas Quay to provide a second berth in that location for vessels of 6000 TEU’s or more. The Atlantic and Americas Quays are adjoining terminals in Le Havre’s tidal basin.

“Bringing these new cranes into service at the Atlantic and Americas Quays is just one step in our major investment plan for upgrading container facilities during 2001 to 2006, but it is a vital one to improve productivity of one of our busiest terminals as our traffic grows,” says Jean Marc Lacave, executive director of the Port of Le Havre.

Each crane has been specially crafted by Rotterdam-based NELCON, and each has a lifting capacity of 78 tons on cables as well as the ability to operate in “twinlift” mode, handling two twenty-foot containers at the same time. The gantries can operate at a rate of 40 moves an hour and can handle vessels with beams of eighteen containers.