Forth Ports container ports in Grangemouth and Tilbury have welcomed new low emission Kalmar straddle carriers as part of a multimillion investment in handling equipment.
The order was first announced in June 2022.
The MV Aura vessel delivered five straddle carriers to the Port of Grangemouth and seven to the London Container Terminal (LCT) in Tilbury.
The 12 carriers are the Kalmar ESC440 model, fitted with the latest low emission engine technology which can accommodate a transition to alternative non fossil fuels.
They have a 40-tonne load carrying capacity capable of handling the full range of container sizes.
The carriers will be fitted with Verified Gross Mass (VGM) weighing capability to weigh the containers.
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The 12 new straddles are part of the Group’s equipment replacement programme. The current fleet at LCT is 36, and 16 in Grangemouth.
“Our container terminals in Tilbury and Grangemouth are key shipping and distribution locations and it’s essential that we keep investing in our equipment and infrastructure to ensure that we continue to deliver industry leading service provision,” said Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer.
“We are always impressed with Kalmar’s straddle carriers, and these are our straddle of choice. These new straddles form part of our multimillion-pound investment in our two busy container ports in Grangemouth and in Tilbury.”
The order was booked in Cargotec’s 2022 Q3 order intake, with delivery scheduled for Q1 2023.