Tratos reeling cable for new Spanish port terminal

Following the takeover of the Muelle Prat container terminal from the Barcelona Port Authority by Terminal Catalunya S.A (TERCAT) – a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group – construction has started on a new 1,500-metre-long quay featuring 18 container stacking blocks with 36 one-over-five ASCs.

Each ASC will have 450 m of Tratosflex cable, designed specifically for high speed reeling and featuring a unique internal cable design, with the structure tightened against the internal relative movement. This prevents the cable from twisting and leading to possible breakage – extremely dangerous when reeling at speeds up to 300 m/m; at Muelle Prat operational speeds will be 270 m/m.

The first Muelle Prat berth is expected to commence commercial operations in early 2012 after a short period of testing and commissioning of the container handling equipment and the terminal operating system. Once completed the terminal is expected to have an annual handling capacity of 2.65teu.