Hoist's M250 and M520 Neptune Series forklifts line up with a counterbalanced forklift.

Hoist Liftruck will focus on the port equipment market this year by introducing the P-Series empty and laden container handlers and reach stackers.

Dan Peter, Hoist's marketing director, says the port equipment is in its final design stage and Hoist is finalising deals for the container handlers, based on the P-Series forklifts. The reach stackers are targeted for release in the third quarter of 2008.

Hoist is no newcomer to the port and intermodal market. Its roots trace back to Silent Hoist & Crane of Brooklyn, New York, a heavy forklift, mobile crane and container handler manufacturer since 1918. Over the years, the company's product line and name changed but in June 2007, Hoist announced its re-entry into the intermodal market.

In August 2007, Hoist delivered its first P-Series RoRo forklift to Ceres Terminal in Baltimore. Federal Marine Terminals received its order of two P-Series P360s (36,000lb/16,329kg capacity forklift) for their Milwaukee location in the northern hemisphere spring of 2007. Jones Stevedoring took delivery of two P800s (80,000lb/36,287kg capacity forklift) for its Portland terminal last week.

The company has just delivered its largest-sized forklift to Nautico Yacht Club in St Petersburg, Florida. Though not the highest capacity forklift Hoist has built, the pneumatic M520 Neptune Series has a 54-foot (16.5-metre) mast and 26-foot (7.9-metre) forks. It has a capacity of 52,000lbs (23,587kg) and a 96-inch (2.4-metre) load centre. The M520 comes with a 6.7 litre Cummins turbocharged diesel engine and a Dana 32,000 series automatic transmission.

Jeff Cavanaugh, Nautico's director of marine operations, is pleased with his latest forklift.

"Hoist offered a quick response to all of our questions", he says.

Hoist will display the M520 and the M240 Neptune Series forklifts at the Miami International Boat Show on 14-18 February at the Miami Beach Convention Centre. The M520 that will be exhibited has been purchased by the Yacht Club of America (YCOA).

Hoist manufactures 15,000lb-100,000lb (6,804kg-45,359kg) capacity forklifts. The Neptune Series forklift line for the marina was introduced to the market in early 2006. Since then, Hoist has sold over 70 marina forklifts.