The Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 has received components for the first two of four ship-to-shore cranes in time to boost container handling volumes ahead of the Christmas season.
DCT Pier 2 has been renewing its fleet with state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment to ensure an improved service for its customers, with long–term contracts in place for the purchasing and maintenance of terminal equipment.
“The South quay has been under immense pressure due to the limitations of our ageing crane fleet,” said Durban Terminals managing executive, Earle Peters.
“The arrival of these Liebherr cranes marks a major step forward in restoring reliability, boosting productivity, and ensuring we meet the evolving demands of global trade.”
The ship-to-shore cranes load and offload containers on calling vessels and are the single most expensive piece of equipment in terminal operations – valued at R 242 million each.
Peters said the new cranes would replace the old equipment that has been in operation for over two decades, with the first two planned to be operational in October and the other two in November.
Each crane has a 65-tonne twin-lift capacity, with a seaside rail outreach of 65 metres to the centre of the spreader and a lifting height of 43 metres.
In addition, the cranes have been engineered with an offset landside bogie, allowing for adaptability from the current 28.5-metre rail gauge to a 30.48-metre rail gauge, facilitating possible relocation to other berths in the future.
DCT Pier 2 recently took delivery of 20 straddle carriers, 40 haulers and 22 forklifts, 26 trailers, and two reach stackers to support ongoing operations and improve cargo handling capacity.
The terminal has invested approximately R1.5 billion in new equipment over the past 18 months.
