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Ashdod Port has received the largest ship-to-shore (STS) crane in Israel and 15 new forklifts, representing a combined total investment of approximately US$16m, in order to improve its operational facility.
Manufactured in Shanghai by ZPMC, the crane is designed to handle ships with a capacity of 18,000 teu and it is expected to improve working speeds by about 15%, with an improvement of up to 30% in trolley speed.
Orna Hozman Bechor, chairwoman of the board of directors at the Ashdod Port Company, said: “The introduction of the largest STS crane in Israeli ports puts Ashdod Port at the forefront of operations and technology…”
The US$10.6m crane is one of the most technologically advanced on the market, as it is equipped with electrical and control systems and includes the option of semi-automatic operation and a system to control damage.
With its 66 m arm fully raised, the STS crane reaches to a height of 123.5 m and it is suitable for ships with a width of 59 m carrying 23 rows of containers.
Bechor added: “[The crane] will enable the company to continue providing the most advanced solution currently available in the field of marine cargo in Israel, with considerable improvement to the port’s output.”
Additionally, seven clamshell mechanical and electrohydraulic grabs and eight 16-tonne forklifts to replace the existing fleet of 12-tonne forklifts were purchased at a total cost of US$5.3m.
The new clamshell and mechanical electrohydraulic grabs are equipped with a Safety of life at sea (SOLAS) system which weighs the container before and during the transportation and is able to hook up to the port’s terminal operating system (TOS).
The forklifts, purchased from Kalmar, have unique specifications that are suited to the port’s operational needs which aims to improve efficiency in the work process.