The first of two new £25 million ($31.7 million) ship-to-shore cranes have arrived at the Port of Greenock.
Work will shortly begin to install the vital infrastructure at the port, which will be fully operational later this year following testing.
The cranes are designed to help accommodate increased demand from cargo owners, and support growth in transatlantic trade, as well as future-proof the port. The capabilities of the new cranes have already been key in securing new routes, including a new weekly deep-sea container service connecting Scotland to the Mediterranean market of Turkey.
Port operator Peel Ports Clydeport spent £25 million ($31.7 million) on the two new 72-metre tall ship-to-shore cranes, which are to be named ‘U-Crane Bolt’ after the Jamaican Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt and ‘Craner Swift’ in tribute to American singer Taylor Swift.
The second of the huge structures is due to arrive in the coming weeks/months.
The cranes are the largest single investment made at the container terminal and come less than a year after a new £20 million ($25.4 million) cruise ship visitor centre opened at the neighbouring Greenock Ocean Terminal.
READ: Port of Greenock introduces new Turkey container service
Jim McSporran, Port Director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “It’s a really special moment to welcome the first of our two new cranes to the Port of Greenock.
“These two structures will be transformational for the port, significantly expanding our freight capabilities here, and we’re all really excited about having them fully operational later this year. Once installed they will also boost efficiency and bring more opportunities for global connections and worldwide trade into Greenock, further strengthening our position as a major port for importers and exporters.”
Last October, the Port of Greenock, Scotland’s deepest container terminal, welcomed its largest container ship to date, boasting a 6,750 TEU capacity.
More recently, the port increased its reefer point infrastructure from 32 to 220, considerably increasing chilled cargo storage and delivery capacity.
