The Panama Ports Company (PPC) has bought seven rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) from Noell Crane Systems GmbH of Germany for its Port of Balboa terminal.

The eight-wheel RTGs stack five high and will boost the port's capacity to handle increased container traffic, says PPC general manager Alejandro Kouruklis.

The Port of Balboa, with one container berth and four general cargo berths, runs three super post panamax quay cranes, six RTGs, two reachstackers, two container toplifters and five empty container handlers.