May 28 - The last of four new super post-Panamax wharf cranes for the Port of Houston's Barbours Cut Container Terminal have been offloaded from ZPMC's semi-submersible vessel Zhen Hua 13 after a 73-day journey from South Korea.
The new electric ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, which are the largest ever built by Konecranes, each weigh 1,505 tonnes and stand at 88 m high, with a lift height of 62 m and the capacity to handle ships with a width of 22 containers.
The parties involved noted the impressive nature of the shipment due to the successful cooperation between Konecranes and ZPMC - both of which are competitors in the port container crane market.
The Konecranes shipment is the first STS crane move that ZPMC has carried out for another crane supplier.
In order to source suitable tonnage for the transportation, Konecranes used the services of Maersk Broker, which identified that ZPMC could have some spare capacity within its fleet.
"It is testament to the pragmatism and forward looking stance of both parties that this deal could be reached," said Torben Ørting Jørgensen, director of Maersk Broker's global specialised tonnage division.
