Port Houston, which owns and manages eight public terminals along the Houston Ship Channel, has ordered 16 hybrid Konecranes rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes which will bring the port’s operating fleet of Konecranes RTGs to 163, including 73 hybrid models.

The order for the 16 new hybrid RTGs was placed in Q1 2025 with delivery scheduled for H1 2026. 

They have been designed for 1-over-6 stacking capacity and will be equipped with advanced smart features such as auto-steering, stack collision prevention and truck lift prevention. The hybrid power units can help the port to reduce emissions and save on fuel costs, Konecranes states.

Konecranes has announced it will also retrofit eight of its existing RTGs currently operating at the port, with this process expected to be completed by Q4 2025. The eight retrofits will add the same smart features as the newly-ordered RTGs, as well as gantry collision prevention and new e-chains.

Located on the US Gulf Coast, Port Houston is a key hub for international trade and industry, handling more container traffic than any other port on the Gulf and ranking among the busiest ports in the US.

Nathan Fabian, director, Port Cranes at Port Houston says the long-term relationship established with Konecranes was a key factor in the decision to order its new RTGs from them.

“We work in partnership with the skilled labor who work at our container terminals to determine the best equipment for the operations at Port Houston and Konecranes RTGs keep our operations running safely and smoothly,” Fabian adds.