The Port of Gioia Tauro has welcomed its third shipment of quay cranes, continuing the upgrade of its infrastructure.
Following earlier deliveries in November 2019 and February 2023, four additional cranes have arrived, with two more expected by the end of the month.
Once in place, the MedCenter Container Terminal (MCT) will operate a total of 25 quay cranes, complemented by three mobile harbour cranes.
This overhaul of equipment is part of a wider development plan initiated after Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), a company controlled by MSC’s Gianluigi Aponte, took over the terminal.
The goal is to modernise the terminal and improve its overall efficiency to meet growing demand.
READ: MSC buys out TDT in Livorno port
The port has already seen strong growth this year. MCT handled nearly 2.93 million TEU in the first nine months of the year, marking a 10.4 per cent increase from the same period in 2022, when it moved around 2.65 million TEU.
Andrea Agostinelli, President of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas Port Authority, said: “Equipment is fundamental for the development of port operations in terms of sustainable growth and increased volumes.”
“The terminal operator MCT is respecting the investment plan presented, and with the arrival of four more quay cranes today, two more will be added shortly, confirming the desire to concretely face the challenges ahead.”
The new cranes are built to handle large ocean vessels with a capacity of up to 25,000 TEU. Weighing in at 1,800 tonnes each, they have a 30-metre rail span and a lifting height of 54 metres under the spreader.
The total lifting height reaches 75 metres, and the cranes stand 95 metres tall, or 141 metres with the boom raised. They are capable of lifting up to 65 tonnes under the spreader.
In January 2023, an MSC containership ran aground at the Port of Gioia Tauro halting operations; the 8,566 TEU MSC Elaine was successfully refloated the following day.
