One of the new reach stackers. PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

Kerala ports minister K. Babu has commissioned two container reach stackers at the Kollam port. The reach stackers, capable of handling 40 ft. containers, were purchased at a cost of around USD450,000 each.

The Hindu quotes the minister as saying about 60 ships had called at the port since chief minister Oommen Chandy flagged the coastal shipping project in November 2013. Since then, the port has handled over 17, 328 metric tonnes of cargo. The reach stackers are expected to facilitate significant cargo growth.

Indital, a division of Cargotec, supplied the equipment.

In May 2014, the Ports Department wrapped up a tender to equip three of its ports with reach stackers for container handling. Besides Kollam, Beypore and Vizhinjam ports are also due for stacker installations.

The city, formerly known as Desinganadu, is an old seaport on the Laccadive Sea coast in the Kerala region.