Kalmar has received an order for five super post-Panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes from MSC Home Terminal, Antwerp, in addition to 10 cranes ordered last year.

The new order, due for delivery in 2006, was made in anticipation of future volume growth.

This latest order brings the number of STS cranes ordered from Kalmar to 33. Among the orders are eight cranes for PSA Antwerp, six for P&O Ports' Antwerp Gateway, two for Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals and two for the Port of Guadeloupe.

Kalmar president Christer Granskog said the company's order book was "looking impressive".

"In order to be able to deliver this extremely high order backlog in a short timeframe our partnership with Hollandia - the Dutch steel structure manufacturer - is essential," he said.

"It gives us the necessary upwards flexibility to meet this exceptionally high level of demand, but also gives us flexibility to adapt our capacity when the market returns to more normal levels."

MSC Home Terminal is a joint venture between Mediterranean Shipping Company and Hesse-Noord Natie NV, a subsidiary of the PSA Group.

The first of the company's 10 STS cranes ordered last year has recently entered commercial operations. A further three are on site, in various stages of assembly.