DP World Melbourne's newly assembled 'post-Panamax' ship-to-shore (STS) container crane has commenced operations, providing a boost to productivity whilst also handling the increasingly larger ships visiting West Swanson Terminal.
In what can be regarded as Australia's largest on-site container crane assembly, DP World Melbourne is the first local stevedore to assemble a ship-to-shore crane from scratch on site and could signal a move on how future cranes are deployed to Australia.
DP World Australia managing director Ganesh Raj said: "The addition of a new Liebherr STS crane to the existing crane fleet will help DP World improve productivity at West Swanson Terminal as well as facilitating container growth at Australia's largest container port.
"Capable of lifting two 20 foot containers simultaneously, the crane has a waterside outreach of 50 metres, a rail gauge of 25.3 metres and a landside back-reach of 20 metres. The safe working load (SWL) of the crane is 65 tonnes under twin lift spreader with a lift height of 38 metres under spreader.
Weighing 945 tonnes, the crane arrived at the terminal in many parts on board the special cargo vessel 'Thorco Celebration' in May, following a seven-week journey from Leibherr's crane manufacturing facility in Ireland.
The crane's main beam measures 61.7 metres in length and main boom 55 metres in length. Its girder, legs, sill beams, machinery house, specially designed cabin and several containers of mechanical equipment were all unloaded off the vessel and ready for assembly.
Over a period of two months, the project team pieced together the various components of the crane, with Melbourne's recent weather also providing a challenge. Fully assembled, the crane measures over 100 metres high (with boom up) and was moved, via a mega-lift (see further details inserted at the end), into final position in late August.
