Konecranes has supplied its diesel-electric Konecranes Gottwald Model 4 Mobile Harbour Crane to HHLA Frucht- und Kühl-Zentrum, a company of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) and the terminal operator SEA-invest, at the O’Swaldkai multi-purpose terminal in Hamburg to serve reefer vessels.
The G HMK 4406 crane has been recently taking on shipments of bananas as its main job is to unload fruit on pallets from vessels and unload reefer containers that arrive as deck cargo. A lifting capacity of 100 tons and an outreach of up to 46 metres means the maximum lifting speed is 90 metres per minute.
It can also handle heavy cargo and project cargo and can be moved quickly on the quayside.
HHLA has trusted mobile harbor crane technology from Konecranes for fruit handling since 2003.
At that time, two small HMK 90 E cranes of Generation 4 went to Hamburg where they are still in operation.
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Axel Hoeckrich, Managing Director of HHLA Frucht- und Kühl-Zentrum GmbH, said: “With this new mobile harbor crane, we can efficiently unload the growing number of containers that are now being transported aboard fruit vessels. It has replaced an old ship-to-shore crane.
“Furthermore, it can also unload fruit pallets, and its versatility increases our ability to develop new business activities. With this state-of-the-art crane, we are strengthening the fruit port of Hamburg, which is already the most important site for fruit handling and trade in Germany.”
Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes have recently been deployed by other operators of fruit terminals, with two Model 2 cranes in the G HMK 2204 two-rope variant starting work in a fruit terminal in the UK in October 2016, predominantly intended for unloading fruit pallets arriving at two berths.
Hans-Juergen Schneider, Regional Sales Manager, Konecranes, Port Solutions, said: “All of the cranes also have high working speeds, giving high productivity and, particularly when handling fruit pallets, help us to keep the cold chain intact.”
Fruit delivery has been going bananas at European ports lately as the CMA CGM vessel Pointe des Colibris recently made a large delivery of the fuit to the Belgian New Fruit Wharf (BNFW) terminal in Antwerp.