The forklifts will be used on a series of six roro multipurpose vessels ordered by the Grimaldi Group.

Italian shipping group Grimaldi has partnered with Forkliftcenter and Konecranes on a large order of custom-made heavy-duty forklifts.

Konecranes will supply six 12 T capacity and 12 42 T capacity heavy-duty forklifts to the Grimaldi Group for operations on its ocean-going vessels. Konecranes will custom manufacture these forklifts, which will have a lower than average height for easy access, and will also have a specially designed container spreader attachment for better maneuverability in tight spaces onboard the vessels.

Patrik Lundbäck, sales and marketing director of Konecranes Lift Trucks, tells Forkliftaction.com News that the machines were specially redesigned on a smaller wheelbase with the perfect dimensions to fit the customer's needs.

The worldwide service contract for the forklifts will be fulfilled via Forkliftcenter's and Konecranes' global service network.

The machines will be used on the vessels Grande Lagos, Grande Tema, Grande Cotonou, Grande Abidjan, Grande Dakar and Grande Luanda, a series of six roro multipurpose vessels ordered by the Grimaldi Group to the South Korean shipyards of Hyundai Mipo. The first three vessels have already been delivered and are operated by the Grimaldi Group between North Europe and West Africa while the remaining three units are due to be delivered by the end of the year.

With a gross tonnage of 31,600 T and a length of 236 m (774 ft.), the vessels have a loading capacity of 5,700 linear meters of rolling cargo and 1,800 TEU.

Bjørn André de la Porte, CEO of Forkliftcenter, says that without genuine partnership, teamwork and flexibility, such as they have with Konecranes, the company would not be able to resolve client challenges as successfully.

Lundbäck explains that the 18 machines will be on six different Grimaldi vessels and need after-sales support in various ports worldwide. "This is achieved by close collaboration between [the] Forkliftcenter and Konecranes after-sales network. The challenge in this project was to define the exact needs of Grimaldi and find the right equipment to handle cargo off and on their ships within limited time.

"This resulted in a close collaboration between Grimaldi, Konecranes and Forkliftcenter and, due to the flexibility and creativity of all parties, [the] equipment of Konecranes was redesigned and adjusted for the specific purposes of Grimaldi."

Gianluca Grimaldi, president of the Grimaldi Group, adds that it is the first time that the group has dealt with Konecranes and Forkliftcenter to supply new equipment. "The machines ordered will play an important role in the capacity and efficiency of the cargo handling operations of our new-generation vessels."

The value of the order is confidential.

Konecranes of Hyvinkää, Finland, serves a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. In 2013, group sales totaled EUR2.1 billion (USD2.2 billion). The group has 11,800 employees at 600 locations in 48 countries.

Forkliftcenter, headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, sells, rents and leases new and used forklifts, reach stackers, container handling and port equipment in a wide range of brands, types and sizes. It also has offices in Australia, the Middle East and the Americas.

The Grimaldi Group, headquartered in Naples, Italy, operates a fleet of over 100 ships and claims to be a world-leading operator in the transport of cars and roro cargo. Established in 1947, the group has about 10,000 employees.