Cape Town’s first cranes arrive

THE SPECIALISED vessel, Beluga Constellation, sailed in grim weather conditions on Sunday after delivering the first two of eight Liebherr super postpanamax gantry cranes to Cape Town Container Terminal. The German-flagged, self-geared vessel with 240-ton capacity, arrived in the Mother City port on July 1, off-loading the R60-million-apiece cranes and taking about five days. Shipped in different parts from Ireland, they have been stacked immediately behind berth 601, currently undergoing deepening to 1.55 metres. Assembly is already under way even though torrential weekend rain delayed the process somewhat. Oscar Borchards, the terminal’s executive business unit manager, says: “We expect both of them, as well as cranes three and four due the beginning of August, to be assembled by the end of October.” All four will be installed at 601. Howling winds of more than 60km/h did not hamper berthing operations at the weekend, nor was the port closed at any stage. Four container vessels were at anchor at dusk on Monday, having arrived the previous day, but whether or not they will be delayed in berthing could not be determined at the time of deadline.