Leading port operator Hutchison Ports has revealed that its BEST container terminal, part of the Port of Barcelona, Spain, is expanding its container handling capacity with six automated stacking cranes (ASCs).
BEST currently utilizes 11 super post-panamax quay cranes – which are capable of servicing the world’s largest container ships – 48 ASCs and two rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs), as well as 30 shuttle carriers that move cargo around the terminal.
The new equipment, delivered by smart port solutions provider Konecranes, has increased the facility’s storage capacity and number of automated blocks from 24 to 27.
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Once assembled and tested, the new blocks are expected to enter full operations in June 2019.
According to a statement, the new cranes are also electric and move on rails, allowing BEST to maintain its commitment to running as an efficient and environmentally sustainable terminal.
Guillermo Belcastro, CEO of Hutchison Ports BEST, said: “This investment will result in a significant increase in operational and storage capacity at the terminal and will contribute to our continuous improvement of service levels both in maritime and land operations.”
Since BEST officially opened in September 2012, it has achieved an average productivity rate of more than 40 movements per hour, making it one of most efficient terminals currently operating around the world.
In addition to this, BEST is the first semi-automated terminal developed by Hutchison Ports, featuring one of Europe’s most modern gate systems, as well as a leading railway terminal for the Mediterranean region.
