Long life promises

However, Forth Ports would be looking to sell units on after ten years, since there is a buoyant second hand market and material handlers retain sufficient residual value to make such a transaction viable.

In contrast, the fixed cranes the Sennebogens replaced were fully depreciated, having dated back to the 1960s, and were demolished.

“There is always a risk with cranes that, if you hang on to them for too long, technology and everything else will have moved on,” says Forth Port’s Nik Scott-Gray.

He says that return on investment is better than for fixed equipment, especially since Forth Ports hasn’t had to invest in expensive infrastructure. New quay cranes would have meant new rails, which would have boosted costs considerably. Utilisation rates are also significantly higher, which also helps with return on investment.

B&W’s managing director Andrew Mitchell adds that return on investment on shiploaders can vary dramatically, but nowadays most customers are looking for one within two to five years. Furthermore, he claims that mobile shiploader provide the quickest route to market and have the shortest pay back period.

“Friendliness of maintenance is as good, if not better than, fixed plant, while the overall cost of operation is low,” he says.