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Four 126-metre high STS cranes arrive to handle future mega vessels
The Port of Southampton has taken delivery of four new Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes in preparation for the influx of next generation of Ultra-Large Container Ships (ULCS).
The 126-metre high cranes, requiring an investment of £26 million, were assembled at the container terminal and will be moved to the nearby Western Docks via remote-controlled trailers.
A fifth crane will be relocated to Southampton’s Western Docks from an existing berth, according to the BBC.
Speaking to the BBC, Southampton’s new port director Nick Ridehalgh said that the cranes were shipped to England’s south coast from Ireland and boast a 24-row reach.
“These impressive cranes are a demonstration of our confidence in the future of the port of Southampton and its container operation,” said Ridehalgh.
“They will allow us to continue to handle the biggest ships afloat, both now and long into the future, and will keep the container port, which is already the most efficient in Europe, at the forefront of the industry.”
The Port of Southampton welcomed CMA CGM’s Marco Polo, the world’s largest container ship, in December last year.