Liebherr is one of the world’s leading port crane manufacturers and this new crane which can handle vessels with 14 containers stowed across the deck, is part of a focus on securing Grangemouth as Scotland’s number one container port and providing the facilities required to service future container volume growth for export and import cargoes both in European and International Markets.
The crane will be designed and built in Liebherr’s state of the art facility in Killarney, south west Ireland, and then shipped into Grangemouth for onsite construction. The crane will be ready for use in autumn 2018 and will increase vessel turnaround times, capacity for growth and support existing operations. The new crane is also future proofed to enable taller straddle carriers to work underneath the crane legs.
Derek Knox, Grangemouth’s Port Manager, said: “The new Liebherr ship to shore crane is supporting our growth plans through investments in infrastructure and equipment at the Port of Grangemouth. We handle some of Scotland’s most valuable exports, such as fine foods and drinks, so it is important that we deliver fast turnaround times to maintain the vessel schedules and ensure their reliability to service the Scottish export market.
We have found a great partner in Liebherr who have an excellent reputation in crane technology and we enjoy a strong existing relationship with them. Our new crane will ensure that we have a single fleet of ship-to-shore cranes provided by Liebherr which provide consistency for the operations and engineering team. We are looking forward to receiving the crane next year.”
Gerry Bunyan, Sales and Marketing Manager, with Liebherr Container Cranes said: “We are delighted to have secured the order for this additional ship to shore crane and to be part of Port of Grangemouth’s further development / growth plans. We have an excellent working relationship with Port of Grangemouth as in the past we have supplied two ship to shore cranes to the port, the last being in 2007. The reliability and performance of these cranes has cemented the ports position as Scotland’s premier container port. This latest purchase of this new larger ship to shore crane will future proof the handling capabilities at the port and provide the additional handling capacity to service customers”
As part of the ongoing major investment programme at Grangemouth, the port welcomed three new ESC340 straddle carriers earlier this year increasing the fleet at the container terminal to 16. The port also added a new Hyster empty container handler to the fleet this year. The new straddles, empty container handler and the new Liebherr crane will increase the handling capacity for both conventional containers and reefers (refrigerated containers).
More than £6 billion worth of goods passes through Grangemouth each year including steel plate, timber, paper and equipment for the oil and gas industry. Grangemouth container terminal reached its 50th anniversary on 7 May 2016.
