Transnet signs off biggest ever order

R1bn goes for cranes and straddles TERRY HUTSON THE ORDER confirmed last week by SA Port Operations for 14 Liebherr ship-to-shore (STS) super post panamax gantry cranes and the exercising of an option for 25 additional straddle carriers is the largest order ever placed for harbour terminal infrastructure, valued at over R1 billion. The straddles for Durban Container Terminal (DCT) are additional to an order of 53 machines placed last year with Finnish manufacturer Kalmar. Of the 14 STS cranes, three will go to DCT, five to the Pier 1 Container Terminal and the other six are for Cape Town. All have twin-lift capability and are capable of handling the largest new generation container ships in service, with an outreach of 52m and a height under the spreader bar of 37m. Delivery of the eight Durban cranes will be made in time for commissioning between March and October 2007, while all six Cape Town cranes are to be operational by July 2008. In addition Pier 1 Container Terminal is to get 12 one-over-five rubber tyred gantries along with other cargo handling equipment. Sapo placed the order with Liebherr last November but has been waiting for Transnet to sign off on the contract. The cranes will be fully manufactured in Ireland and shipped for local assembly. Questions are likely to be raised over the awarding of yet another large contract offshore despite local companies having already demonstrated their capability to manufacture locally. Three similar machines built by Argentine manufacturer IMPSA, which are in the process of being commissioned, have been completed locally with a large South African content including assembly.