Kalmar crane upgrade for MSC

The order is the largest ever for the Kalmar Crane Upgrades business. The project was signed into Cargotec’s 2015 third quarter intake, and all cranes are scheduled to be operational by mid 2017.

MSC Terminal VLC has chosen to upgrade its STS cranes to accommodate larger vessels in anticipation of growth in container movements because its current equipment is currently limited to a maximum vessel size of 16,000 teu.

Sven Valentin, MSC Terminal VLC Manager, said: “The main benefit of working with Kalmar is their undoubted technical expertise and outstanding service. Upgrading eight cranes is a substantial job to undertake, but with their impressive track record in performing similar projects we have total confidence in their ability to meet our needs.”

Kalmar will extend the boom on all eight cranes by six metres and heighten six of the cranes by 10 metres, increasing the terminal’s capacity to serve ships carrying up to 19,000 teu.

José Ignacio Fernández, Head of Crane Upgrades in Kalmar South EMEA, said: “Upgrading an existing crane’s handling capabilities provides a cost-effective solution for ports and terminals looking to quickly gear up for the continued increases in vessel size. Kalmar Crane Upgrades Competence Centre for South EMEA will be completing the entire project, which is a testament to our specialist capabilities to handle such a complex process.”

MSC Terminal VLC currently handles 1.6 million teu annually. Kalmar has previously electrified two Terex Nöell rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes at the terminal.