Cranes arrive in Rotterdam to boost capacity

Rotterdam’s APM Terminals (APMT) Maasvlakte II terminal has received two new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes as part of plans to increase capacity by 20% by 2019.

The Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) cranes are high-speed, remote-control, double-trolley units with twin and tandem capabilities, as are the terminal’s eight existing cranes.

Pieter Hartog, managing director of APMT Maasvlakte II and Rotterdam, said: “It is extremely important to our customers to be able to deliver capacity in today’s growing market. We are very proud of our dedicated staff who will be working with the suppliers to ensure the two new cranes are commissioned safely.”

Over the coming months the cranes will be tested and once operational the terminal will be able to service two triple-E vessels simultaneously, with five STS cranes each.

Before reaching Rotterdam, the cranes had travelled for 60 days aboard the Zhen Hua 24 from Shanghai, with a stop-over in Dunkirk.

In 2019, the terminal will offer a total of 10 STS cranes, 54 automated rail-mounted gantry (RMG) cranes, 72 lift automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and three quay-cranes for servicing barges.

The terminal covers 860,000 m sq, with 1 km of deep-sea quayside, 500 m of barge quayside and 800 m of rail track, operated by two rail cranes.