This morning another three super post panamax ship-to-shore cranes arrived at the ECT Delta Terminal at the Maasvlakte. The cranes have a lifting height of 50 metres under the spreader and a reach of 24 containers wide, more than sufficient to handle the very largest container ships of 20,000 TEU and more. With this subsequent investment, ECT is further expanding its facilities to handle Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS's). Last year, ECT also commissioned five of such cranes.
The cranes can be remotely controlled from the office by ECT’s crane operators. Since the start of this month a quay crane at what is commonly referred to as the ULCS quay at the south side of the ECT Delta Terminal has been, as test, remotely controlled. This takes place in a fully operational terminal.
The three cranes are part of a comprehensive investment programme at the ECT Delta Terminal. It enables ECT to simultaneously handle various 20,000-TEU vessels under virtually any circumstances. Each week ECT, handles about 36 deep-sea vessels, 170 feeder vessels and almost 500 inland barges at its quays. In addition, 120 trains and 22,000 trucks are unloaded and loaded.