Georgia invests in new RTGs

The 55 new RTGs from Konecranes will operate using electric battery power, with diesel generators running only to recharge batteries. This will reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 47% compared to all-diesel machines and save more than US$1.6 million per year in fuel costs.

“This significant investment in new equipment will help prepare the Port of Savannah to handle more ships and cargo while maintaining the world-class service our customers have come to expect,” said GPA executive director Griff Lynch.

“These new machines will expand our capabilities, operate at lower cost and leave a smaller carbon footprint than conventional diesel cranes.”

The cranes are part of the renovation of the 200-acre Ocean Terminal. GPA is also establishing two big ship berths at the facility as well as improving the paving surface to hold container stacks. These projects will bring to six the number of neopanamax vessels the Port of Savannah can handle simultaneously.

To work the larger ships, GPA will add eight new all electric ship-to-shore cranes at Ocean Terminal by 2026. When complete, the terminal’s annual capacity will reach 2 million teu.

The new cranes can work stacks that are six containers high and seven wide – one container wider than GPA’s current largest RTGs. The RTGs currently serving Ocean Terminal will be repurposed in other areas of operation.