Meridian Port Services (MPS) has taken delivery of the first unit of two Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC).
The crane arrived on 8th December 2017 and is currently being commissioned by the manufacturer’s engineers. It is expected to be put into operations after the completion of training over the coming two weeks. The second identical MHC is due to arrive in March 2018.
The CEO of MPS, Mr. Mohamed Samara, indicated that these latest generations of Mobile Harbour Cranes are the largest and most advanced MHCs ever manufactured by KONECRANES-GOTTWALD.
He also added: “This additional US$11million investment is part of the MPS Shareholders’ commitment to develop Tema Port. It is set to increase the terminal berthing capacity, and ultimately it will improve vessels’ productivity – which in turn will reduce time and costs for the shipping lines’ vessel calls”.
These cranes come with 61 metres boom with maximum 50 metres usable length. They are capable of lifting up to 35-tonne containers across the vessels’ width and up to the 20th row, or otherwise 60-tonnes in the case of twin-lifting (2×20’) containers up to the 15th row onboard vessels. It is worth noting the largest vessels currently calling at Tema Port have 15 rows of container stowage.
With its low diesel fuel consumption and low noise emissions, the high-efficiency diesel-electric drive concept of KONECRANES/GOTTWALD, the Mobile Harbour Crane ensures that environmental impacts are kept to a minimum.
The realisation of all these benefits come with an upgrade of the company’s Technical and Information Systems, along with staff’s operating skills. Operations personnel are currently undergoing training to add and improve on their knowledge and skills to run and operate these new state-of-the art cranes.
Arrival of the new cranes is welcome news for shipping lines, as MPS will be able to handle their volumes more efficiently even before completion of the new port expansion project. Shipping lines can rest assured of timely berthing and sailing for their vessels.
The procurement of this sophisticated equipment is an indication of MPS’s pledge to enhance and heighten trade facilitation in the Tema Port and Ghana’s global trade in general.
