Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport, and Noel Hylton (face averted), president of the Port Authority of Jamaica, accept delivery of four new gantry cranes at the port in Kingston. Kingston is now the only port in the region with 13 cranes. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

The Kingston Container Terminal (KCT) on Tuesday received another four ship-to-shore gantry cranes, which according to the Port Authority will increase the capacity on the port for working ships by as much as 25 per cent.

The equipment was acquired from the China-based Zenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC) at a cost of $1.4 billion (US$23 million).

According to head of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Noel Hylton, the delivery of the cranes completes the $3.7 billion fourth phase of the port expansion plan.

The multi-phased plan is meant to boost efficiency at the ports by 25 per cent.

The expansion will add a further 300,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container), bringing the total capacity of the KCT to 1.5 million TEUs.

"It will provide more capacity on the port for working ships and these are the most modern cranes in the world today," Hylton told the Observer. "The cranes boast new technologies and can accommodate the biggest vessels that are afloat."

The addition of the cranes, according to Hylton, brings to 13 the number of ship-to-shore cranes operating at the KCT which is now run by APM Terminals on behalf of the PAJ.

"This is the only port in the region with 13 ship-to-shore gantry cranes," Hylton said.

"And what this means is that we can continue to promote the port, handle more ships, and it also means that we are supposed to make more profit."

Captain Dido Suenderman of the CMA-CGM shipping line also welcomed the additional equipment.

"It's a great addition to the port and the fact that its a super crane that boasts advanced technologies it will definitely move the cargo much quicker, which is the ultimate objective," he said.

Hylton says the cranes are much faster than the older ones, and are capable of handling an average of 10 containers more within a given hour.

Other aspects of the fourth-phase port expansion plan included:

. reconstruction of 445 metres of berth at the transshipment port's north terminal;

. the construction of 90 metres of berth westward;

. the extension of the berth at the south terminal westward by 91.1 metres;

. the paving of 29 hectares of yard space at the south terminal; and

. paving of 21.6 hectares of yard space at the north terminal.
The fifth phase of the expansion plan that will, among other things, expand the physical space and modernise processes and procedures at the port, are expected to begin shortly - a year earlier than originally planned.

Yesterday, transport and works minister, Robert Pickersgill said the new additions would boost Jamaica's growing reputation as a major transshipment port.

"It will enable us to maintain our competitive edge. It's US$23 million well-spent," said Pickersgill. "We have been blessed geographically, so we have to exploit that as best as we can."

- martina@jamaicaobserver.com

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