APM Terminals (APMT) Elizabeth has announced the installation of two new ZPMC Super Post-Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes.
The cranes have a 23-container outreach that can accommodate both ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) and Neo-Panamax vessels.
The cranes have reportedly passed all tests and are ready to handle the heaviest ships visiting US East Coast ports, carrying up to 18,000 TEU.
Henrik Kristensen, Managing Director of APM Terminals Elizabeth, said: “The new cranes will improve our productivity by enabling us to work multiple large ships simultaneously. This reduces port stay time and improves the speed of our customer supply chains.
“The increased capacity we are bringing to the Port of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) aligns with the industry trend of deploying larger container vessels that are more efficient and represent a more sustainable approach to ocean shipping.”
READ: APMT’s Crane Engineering Services hits year record
The two new cranes are the first of six that will be added to the current four cranes capable of serving ultra-large container vessels as part of a $70 million modernisation effort.
APMT Elizabeth will have a total of 10 identical Super Post-Panamax cranes in situ by Q1 2025, allowing for improved standardisation of operations and raising efficiency and reliability requirements.
The terminal already has four identical Super Post-Panamax cranes in operation, increasing the total to 14 cranes along its 6,000-foot (1,829-metre) quay.
READ: APMT Elizabeth rolls out truck appointment API
Bethann Rooney, Port Department Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, stated: “We’re excited to see these investments further build on our port’s reputation for efficiency and reliability, as the East Coast’s busiest port and one of the top three busiest ports in the nation.
“After a year of record cargo volumes, we’re moving ahead with significant capacity upgrades alongside meaningful collaboration with partners across the supply chain as we position ourselves for even more growth in the years to come.”
PANYNJ handled more than 6.5 million TEU year-to-date (YTD) as of October 2023, with APMT Elizabeth accounting for roughly a quarter of the port’s container traffic during the same period.
The additional crane additions follow a $200 million terminal redevelopment project. Berth-area reinforcements, a modernised gate facility and trucker appointment system, and crane procurements enhanced the terminal’s vessel lift capacity from 900,000 to more than 1.5 million lifts per year.
In June, APMT Elizabeth received the first call of Wan Hai’s updated Far East – US East Coast AA7 service.
