MSC Terminal VLC is about to get a crane upgrade

Kalmar has won a large contract to heighten and extend the handling capabilities of eight ship-to-shore (STS) cranes at MSC Terminal VLC in Valencia, Spain.

The order is the largest ever for the Kalmar Crane Upgrades business. The project was signed into Cargotec's 2015 third quarter intake, and all cranes are scheduled to be operational by mid-2017.

MSC Terminal VLC has chosen to upgrade its STS cranes to accommodate larger vessels in anticipation of growth in container movements. The Paceco cranes are currently limited to a maximum vessel size of 16,000 TEUs. Kalmar will extend the boom on all eight cranes by 6 m and heighten six of the cranes by 10 m, increasing the terminal's capacity to serve ships carrying up to 19,000 TEUs.

José Ignacio Fernández, head of crane upgrades at Kalmar South EMEA, says: "Upgrading an existing crane's handling capabilities provides a cost-effective solution for ports and terminals looking to quickly gear up for the continued increases in vessel size. Kalmar Crane Upgrades Competence Centre for South EMEA will be completing the entire project, which is a testament to our specialist capabilities to handle such a complex process."

According to Sven Valentin, MSC Terminal VLC manager, "The main benefit of working with Kalmar is their undoubted technical expertise and outstanding service. Upgrading eight cranes is a substantial job to undertake, but with their impressive track record in performing similar projects we have total confidence in their ability to meet our needs."

MSC Terminal VLC is a trans-shipment hub and distribution gateway for the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Europe, and currently handles 1.6 million TEUs annually. Kalmar has previously electrified two Terex Nöell rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes at the terminal.