Clever Solution to Handling Ever Bigger Container Ships

SPAIN – The ever increasing size of container ships over the past few years has left more than one port manager scratching heads or possibly even wringing hands as to how to attract these behemoths to locations which are simply not capable of giving them optimum service. The cost of new dockside ship to shore cranes can be imagined, so the solution found by Grup TCB for its Terminal de Contenidors de Barcelona (TCB) would seem both inspired and cost effective.

When it acquired three Super Post Panamax cranes in 2007, TCB took into account that the machinery’s bases and the lifting elements were designed so they could be adapted for future requirements. Now TCB has increased the height of the three cranes by a total of six metres, taking them to forty seven metres, so now they can handle two more levels of containers on deck for ships calling at Barcelona.

There are other added bonuses in that raising the height has meant an improvement in visibility and in the safety of the operations performed by the machinery. The three cranes can now handle ships of up to any size that are operating or are under construction today, able to service vessels with up to ten levels of dry-van containers on deck or nine levels of high-cube containers. Carlos Larrañaga, General Manager of TCB said:

“Innovation and the modernisation of our machinery are part of our commitment to adapt to the needs of the shipping lines calling at Barcelona. The enlargement allows us to meet the needs of the state-of-the-art large ships that are part of international routes. Every day we pursue efficiency, quality, safety and respect for the environment.”