Kalmar Industries has won supply contracts for 24 straddle carriers from stevedore Hamburger Hafen & Lagerhaus AG (HHLA). The value of the contracts was not released.

Kalmar received an initial order in July for eight of its CSC340 straddle carriers. Since then it has been awarded two further HHLA contracts, one for 12 more CSC340 machines and another for four ESC440 machines. The latest contract includes an option for four more ESC440 straddles.

On delivery, which is expected to start by the end of this year, all 24 machines will be employed at the Burchardkai Terminal, one of three HHLA container terminals in Hamburg. HHLA Burchardkai, which has an annual throughput of more than 2.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), already operated 42 Kalmar straddle carriers, a Kalmar statement said.

HHLA spokesman Dr Olaf Mager said Kalmar's machines had demonstrated their reliability and productivity.

"We are content with the machines and can look back on years of positive experience using them," he said. "Kalmar provides us with excellent maintenance, fast supply of spare parts and an accurate price/performance ratio, all of which are indispensable features."