Pilbara Ports, the organisation which represents Western Australia’s ports and terminals activity, has purchased two ESP.9 Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbour cranes (MHCs) for the port of Port Hedland, which is the world’s largest bulk export port by tonnage.
The order was made in Q4 2024, with delivery to Pilbara Ports’ Lumsden Point development scheduled for 2026. The ESP.9 MHCs have a 200-tonne lifting capacity, with each equipped with a 100-m cable reel for external power supply.
With the port of Port Hedland handling upwards of 570 million tonnes of throughput during the 2023-24 financial year and trade expected to grow in the Pilbara (Western Australia) region, the Lumsden Point development is deemed critical to increase capacity at the port. Konecranes said the units will significantly improve the port’s ability to handle containerised bulk material and project cargo, alleviating increasing congestion and diversifying trade.
“Mobile harbour cranes are a critical component of the Lumsden Point development, facilitating the export of battery metals, the import of renewable energy infrastructure and supporting the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara,” said John Freimanis, project director Lumsden Point, Pilbara Ports. “Following a competitive process, we were impressed by Konecranes’ customer focus and reliable performance.”
The cranes are equipped with a tandem-lift assistant, providing extra safety and precision during lifts of heavy lifts. They also come with a condition-based maintenance system, Konecranes’ Truconnect remote monitoring system, plus a spare parts package that can be quickly retrieved.
In November 2024, HLPFI reported that Konecranes had received two orders from European ports for its Generation 6 mobile harbour cranes.
