Terminal operator PSA Antwerp has moved five container cranes at the MPET Terminal (Kaai 1742). It was spectacular to place cranes 6 and 7 more than one and a half kilometers further in order to optimize the berth capacity for larger ships.
"Several cranes have moved, but cranes 6 and 7 were the most spectacular," says Vincent Thijs, communication coordinator for PSA Antwerp. "By doing this move, we can better deploy the tall cranes on both the waterfront and yard."
The cranes were lifted from the tracks in one piece and transported over the quay with special vehicles. They were temporarily put aside between the container stacks while the other cranes were moved and they could be put back on the rails.
Breaks and shift changes
The unloading and transhipment operations were not hindered during the work. "It was quite challenging in terms of planning. The most impactful movements took place during the breaks and shift changes. Everything went smoothly and safely," says Vincent Thijs.
The operation started on April 19, 2021 and took about a week to complete. Subsidiary Antwerp Terminal Services (ATS) successfully coordinated and executed the operation.
You can watch the spectacular move of cranes 6 and 7 in the video below. The cranes were lifted from the tracks in one piece and transported over the quay with special vehicles. They were temporarily put aside between the container stacks while the other cranes were moved and they could be put back on the rails.
Desmet, J. (2021, May 7). Spectacular move of container cranes at MPET Terminal (+video). flow. Consulted on 23 December 2021, from https://www.flows.be/nl/logistics/psa-antwerp-deelt-spectaculair-video-verhuis-containertrein-op-mpet?subscription=success