Five new mega ship-to-shore (STS) cranes have been delivered to container terminal operator PSA Antwerp, which operates within the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

The STS cranes were delivered by manufacturer ZPMC (Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries).

PSA Antwerp says the new cranes have been specially built to process the world's largest container ships and meet the changing requirements of international freight traffic. 

They are the largest STS cranes ever ordered for the port of Antwerp and PSA Antwerp says their arrival represents an important step forward in the further expansion of the European terminal for the next generation of ultra-large container ships.

When installed, the STS cranes will be 52m high and have a range of 71.8m, allowing them to handle ships up to 26 containers wide. 

PSA Antwerp says with a lifting capacity of up to 112T, “the cranes will significantly increase the operational efficiency, the productivity of the berths and the reliability of the service for PSA Antwerp customers”.

“The cranes are a crucial part of Project Emerald [modernisation project] and directly support the transformation of Europa Terminal, a joint project of PSA Antwerp and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, to receive container ships of the next generation,” the port operator states.

The STS cranes are equipped with the latest safety and operational technologies, including advanced anti-sling systems, remote diagnosis, high-precision controls and integrated digital monitoring. 

The cabin has been ergonomically designed and additional VR training environments are available, supporting the continuous development of skills.

The cranes are also equipped with energy-efficient electric drives, regenerative energy systems and smart grid compatibility, reducing total energy consumption and emissions during ship loading and unloading.

Johan Klaps, chairman of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Antwerp port ships says: “The arrival of these new cranes shows very concretely how we are preparing the Europa Terminal for the future”.

“This is essential to keep our port competitive and to be able to receive the largest container ships smoothly and safely in the future,” Klaps adds.