On August 19, the Jacksonville Port Authority’s (JAXPORT) Blount Island Marine Terminal welcomed three 100-gauge electric container cranes capable of serving wider, Post-Panamax vessels.
The cranes arrived at the terminal aboard the specialty vessel Zhen Hua 14, which departed from Shanghai, China, in early June.
They will be offloaded at the newly reconstructed Berth 35. According to the port authority, the cranes are expected to become fully operational by the end of the year.
The new electric cranes have the ability to reach across 22 containers, an increase from the 16 container capabilities of the terminal’s current cranes.
“The addition of these cranes is a critical step toward supporting the ever-larger ships calling on the port through the Suez Canal as well as the newly expanded Panama Canal,” Brian Taylor, JAXPORT CEO, said.
Each electric crane will work on regenerative power, consuming power during the lifting of containers and creating energy as they lower, JAXPORT said.
The new cranes are part of the port authority’s ongoing investment in building the port of the future. The long-term strategic plan calls for the purchase of a total of ten 100-gauge cranes for Blount Island in the next ten years. In 2014, JAXPORT awarded a USD 37.6 million contract to Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, Co. Ltd. (ZPMC), for the manufacturing, delivery and installation of the cranes.