The Port of Mombasa has added four new ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes to boost productivity and reduce ship working times, the government-owned Kenya Ports Authority says.

The new generation twin-lift STSs, which all carry the logo of China’s ZPMC, will replace decommissioned twin-lift cranes that have been operating at the port’s berth 16 for 19 years.

The new cranes, valued at USD39.9 million, “will double berth productivity and reduce ship working time at berth 16 by nearly 40%," Kenya Port Authority managing director William Ruto says.

As part of a wider equipment modernisation program, the KPA acquired new reach stackers, empty container handlers and terminal tractors for yard operations and five harbour mobile cranes for the ports of Lamu and Mombasa.

Currently the Port of Mombasa has 16 STSs and 25 reachstackers, with four more expected, while the Port of Lamu is expecting 27 empty container handlers and three STS gantry cranes.

“This will make the Port of Mombasa even more competitive in the region,” Kenya’s cabinet secretary for roads and transport Kipchumba Murkomen said, according to a Nairobi Wire report.

Murkomen said the new cranes could handle vessels with 21 containers across, compared to the old equipment, which could only handle 18 containers.