(L-R) Bisey Uirab, CEO of Namport, and Desi Moodaly from Cargotec.

Cargotec has won a contract to supply six Kalmar E-One² rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to Namport in Namibia.

The RTGs, which will be delivered during the second half of 2010, are expected to increase the operational efficiency at Namport's Walvis Bay port.

Raimo Ukkonen, Cargotec's vice president for yard cranes, says the new RTGs will be used to stack containers with a higher stacking density than the counterbalanced equipment that Namport currently uses.

"This enables much more effective use of space and the new RTGs will effectively increase the port's terminal capacity by 42%," Ukkonen explains.

The 7+1 wide and one-over-five high RTGs will be fitted with twin lift spreaders, which provide a capacity of 50 tonnes, boosting handling efficiency and "supporting faster ship turnaround times", Ukkonen says. They will also be equipped with an autosteering and container verification system, and remote diagnostics.

Ukkonen adds that Cargotec will provide Namport with on-site service support personnel to ensure maximum machine uptime.

The E-One² is Kalmar's newest RTG model that Cargotec claims meets the latest safety and environmental demands while remaining productive and cost-effective.

Separately, Cargotec has also been awarded a contract to supply six Kalmar E-One² RTGs to Evyap Port in Turkey, to assist with the port's continued expansion. The machines will be delivered by July 2010.
Ukkonen says that Cargotec and Evyap have a close working relationship.

"We strengthened our co-operation with Evyap in 2007 to increase their container throughput capacity. In those days, they were operating with just two mobile harbour cranes, three Kalmar reach stackers and two Kalmar empty container handlers," Ukkonen says.

With the recent order, Evyap now has 10 Kalmar RTGs.

Evyap Logistics operates the Evyap Container Terminal, 70km (43mi) east of the Bosphorus at the Anatolian side of Istanbul. The Evyapport facility, accessible to about 60% of Turkey's industry, covers 135,000sqm (1,453,122sqft) of land and uses a 600m (1,969 foot) berthing length.