Konecranes, a provider of smart port solutions, has agreed to supply two floating cranes to a China-led open sea operation off the coast of Guinea, Africa.
The order from JingJiang Port Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. will see two Gottwald Model 8 floating cranes delivered to COSCO Shipping Bulk Co., which will use the equipment to handle bulk cargo.
COSCO Shipping Bulk is a subsidiary of COSCO, the third largest shipping company in the world by market share.
View Konecranes' smart terminal solutions in PTI's Supplier Directory
Konecranes’ Gottwald machines will tranship bauxite, used for the production of aluminum, from river barges onto ocean-going Panamax vessels on the open sea.
The cranes are built for use on the open sea and designed in accordance with Lloyd’s Register Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment, which allows them to be operated at wind speeds up to 24 metres per second and maximum wave heights of 2.5 metres.
Credit: Konecranes
ZhiJun Fan, General Manager of Technical Division of COSCO, commented: “We will operate the two floating cranes within the framework of our cooperation with China Aluminum group, an important step in the implementation of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative.
“The aim is to transport bauxite from Guinea to the aluminum plants in China. As transhipping raw materials at sea quickly and safely plays a key role in the supply chain, we opted for Konecranes Gottwald Floating Cranes.
“These cranes have proved themselves in Africa and beyond as particularly productive and reliable in rough open sea environments.”
Read a Port Technology technical paper that discusses innovative transhipment systems, including floating cranes
Giuseppe Di Lisa, Sales and Marketing Director of Konecranes' Business Unit Mobile Harbor Cranes, added: “We are proud that a global market leader like COSCO has opted for our technology for their bauxite transhipping operations in western Africa.
“The rapidly growing number of Konecranes Gottwald floating cranes around the globe confirms our leading position in this segment once again.”
Read more:
