North Carolina Ports has announced that its third neo-Panamax crane has arrived at the Port of Wilmington following a three-month journey from Shanghai, China.
The new Zhen Hua 25 crane, which was welcomed at Wilmington on April 8, 2019, is identical to two other neo-Panamax units received by North Carolina Ports in March 2018.
Manufactured by port equipment leader Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC), the three units were purchased for a total cost of US$33.8 million.
Mark Sisson discusses the automation options available to terminals in a recent Port Technology technical paper
According to a statement, the addition of the new machine will allow Wilmington to accommodate 14,000 TEU ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs), the biggest ships currently visiting the US East Coast.
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Brian E. Clark, Chief Operating Officer at North Carolina Ports, commented: “The arrival of the third neo-Panamax crane is a continuation of a massive infrastructure improvements plan NC Ports has in place to enhance the terminal in Wilmington.
“The advancements we’re making with our cranes, container terminal and gate complex are paving the way for monumental growth at the Port of Wilmington and allowing us to efficiently accommodate our growing customer base.”
Our third neo-Panamax crane has officially arrived to the Port of Wilmington. A huge thank you to all of our federal and state partners for their close collaboration to ensure a safe transit to Wilmington #ncports #portofprogress pic.twitter.com/zfF7dNLCay
— NC Ports (@NCPorts) April 8, 2019
The $200 million capital improvement plan will ultimately include a wider turning basin for vessels arriving and departing the port, berth enhancements, and a larger fleet of new neo-Panamax cranes.
Terminal renovations at the Port of Wilmington are also expected to double the port’s annual throughput capacity to 1.2 million TEU. In addition, refrigerated container capacity will triple to 1,000 plugs.
