Steveco orders 10 Edrive straddle carriers from Kalmar.

Kalmar Industries has received an order for 10 Edrive straddle carriers from Finnish port operator Steveco Oy to expand its container handling capacity at the Port of Kotka.

The new ESC440W machines can stack one-over-three high, one container higher than Steveco's straddle carriers currently employed at the Mussalo Container Terminal in Kotka.

Kalmar and Steveco have worked "side-by-side" in the Port of Kotka's maintenance area. Kalmar's service workshop is next to Steveco's, making it convenient to service the latter's machines.

Kalmar Finland president Jouko Kryola explains that the order is a result of the company's past success in supporting its existing straddle carrier fleet in Kotka.

"They have turned to Kalmar yet again for reliable, environmentally friendly equipment which will help them handle the expected influx of containers at Mussalo," he says, adding that Kalmar's commitment to meeting a strict delivery schedule was also a deciding factor.

Delivery of the machines will commence in the northern hemisphere summer and be completed by October 2008. The new machines will replace some of the 20 Kalmar straddle carriers operating at Mussalo. Steveco will transfer some of the one-over-two high straddle carriers to its terminal operations at the Port of Vuosaari in Helsinki in October.

Mussalo is the largest container port in Finland, handling 461,874 TEU in 2006. Its logistics area is planned for expansion in 2008, enabling the terminal to handle 1 million TEU annually.