Terex will supply diesel-electric straddle carriers to the Port of Radès.

Terex Port Equipment has signed a contract with Société Tunisienne d'Acconage et Manutention (STAM) to supply 12 Terex Noell NSC634E diesel-electric straddle carriers to the port of Radès, near Tunis.

"We are delighted to be working with STAM 18 years after having supplied their first-ever straddle carrier fleet," says Guido Luini, managing director of Terex Cranes in Würzburg, Germany.

"This contract is particularly important for STAM as it sets a milestone in their migration from diesel mechanic drive units to the new-generation Terex Noell diesel-electric system," Luini says.

According to Terex, the diesel-electric system reduces fuel consumption and emissions while extending maintenance intervals. The straddle carriers are one over two, three-high models equipped with Noell NES40 single-lift spreader.

The new fleet of straddle carriers is expected to be operational between the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011. The value of the order is undisclosed.

The port of Radès is growing rapidly due to rising demand from shipping lines operating in the Mediterranean. It plays an important role in Tunisia's transportation network, as it is the country's main port for container and roll-on/roll-off traffic. The Port of Radès handles 87% of the volume of containerised goods and 80% of its rolling cargo. In 2008, the Port of Radès handled a total of 5.9 million tons of cargo, including 2.1 million tons of containerised cargo.