Kalmar wins large order for hybrid rubber-tyred gantry cranes from Kenya
Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has been awarded a contract to supply twelve Kalmar E-One2 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTG) to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), in Mombasa, Kenya. The order, valued at approximately EUR 17 million, will see all the machines delivered during 2014, the company said in its press release.
The Kalmar hybrid RTGs are set to boost container handling capacity for use at the yard of the recently commissioned new container handling berth19 at KPA. Recent increases in container traffic have propelled the Port of Mombasa into the ranks of top world container ports, and No. 1 port in East Africa with the volume predicted to exceed 1 million TEUs in 2013.
Kalmar was awarded the order following the completion of a thorough and vigorous tender process. Upon signing the sales agreement, KPA Managing Director, Gichiri Ndua, supported by the KPA management team, commented, "The Port of Mombasa is undergoing significant expansion. Productivity, allied to low fuel costs, was therefore a critical factor in the selection process. We have enjoyed a long and close working relationship with the Kalmar team and we welcome the new cranes to join a well-established family of Kalmar equipment, including RTGs, reachstackers and terminal tractors."
"KPA needed an exceptional solution to help boost productivity whilst reducing lifetime costs of ownership. The Kalmar E-One2 hybrid RTG delivers outstanding performance through its proven reliability. It also boasts the industry's lowest lifetime running costs, consuming up to 50 percent less fuel when compared to conventional RTGs," said Raimo Ukkonen, Vice President, RTGs at Kalmar.
The RTGs provide 6+1 wide, 1-over-5 high stacking with a maximum lifting capacity of 45 tons. At the heart of the machine is the Kalmar hybrid package with optimally sized diesel engine and energy storage. The hybrid option contributes significantly to meeting the latest environmental demands without sacrificing operational productivity and lifetime cost efficiency.
All twelve machines feature Kalmar SmartRail, automatic gantry steering system, Kalmar SmartStack, automatic RTG stack inventory solution and Kalmar SmartFleet, remote monitoring and diagnostics application. As part of Kalmar's industry-leading SmartPort process automation solutions, they help to drive greater efficiencies, resulting in lower overall operating costs, improved safety and better equipment availability.