Liebherr-Africa is continuing to consolidate its position as the preferred supplier to the southern African ports and terminals sector, having successfully delivered over 250 maritime cranes across the African continent.According to Darren Jankelow, the company’s maritime cranes sales manager, these include ship-to-shore gantry cranes, rubber-tyre gantry cranes and harbour mobile cranes. “Our cranes are known for their versatility and high-performance capabilities and have contributed to enhancing the overall efficiency of southern African ports,” he told Freight News, indicating that the company was committed to providing state-of-the-art solutions, underscoring its pivotal role in advancing the maritime infrastructure landscape across the region.“We have been providing crane solutions to southern Africa for more than 25 years,” said Jankelow. “The first Liebherr Harbour Mobile crane (LHM) was delivered and commissioned in 1997 in Walvis Bay, Namibia. The Namibian Ports Authority f leet boasts eight LHMs operational within the Port of Walvis Bay and an LHM operational in the Port of Lüderitz. Transnet Port Te r m i n a l s (TPT) owns and operates over 70 Liebherr maritime cranes across its commercial ports in South Africa. In Mozambique, Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) owns and operates six LHMs within the Port of Maputo.”He said the company provided tailored services to meet the unique needs of southern Africa’s port and terminal sector. “Our partnership with our clients is built on trust and collaboration. Liebherr offers our clients 24/7 technical support, operator and technical training, and local availability of spare parts. This allows us at Liebherr to ensure the smooth operation of our clients’ material handling processes, resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship that we are proud to uphold.”Jankelow said the emerging strategy used by TPT to enter into long-term agreements with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the supply and life-cycle maintenance of critical port-handling equipment was a positive development for infrastructure delivery. “It will position TPT for significantly higher levels of efficiency. The Port of Maputo achieved a record volume of 31.2 million tonnes in 2023, up 16% from the previous year.”An ongoing trend in the crane manufacturing sector was incorporating more eco-friendly technologies and practices. Recently, Liebherr delivered the first harbour mobile crane that runs on fossil-free and almost emission-free HVO100 diesel. HVO renewable diesel is made of 100% renewable raw materials, so no new carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. It is produced through the hydro-treatment of vegetable oils and organic fats.
