Ultra-modern cranes for Tema Port Expansion project arrive in Ghana

On Thursday, December 21, 2018, the countdown for the arrival of the Gantry Cranes stopped. A new sight has sprang up on the waterfront of the Tema Port Expansion Project with the arrival of the much-awaited ultra-modern gantry cranes.

This will create new jobs, enhance the skills of employees, and further strengthen Tema Port as the most efficient and modern gateway for cargo in the region, and heighten the role of MPS as an economic growth engine.

MPS, led by the CEO, Mohamed Samara and the Mayor of Tema Hon. Felix Nii Anang-La, the Harbour Master Captain Christian Yeboah Asante, and members of management and staff were on site early to observe as the vessel carrying the cranes was slowly guided to the newly built Quay wall.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Felix Nii Anang-La, said that this was unprecedented in Ghana.

Addressing the MPS CEO & management team, the Tema Mayor said “What you are doing is adding value to GPHA, when I say GPHA, I mean Ghana. I was with H.E the President when he came for a tour of the project last year and I am astonished to see such significant progress”.

He said MPS deserves gratitude for all the CSR projects in the Tema Municipality, saying the benefits of the project are enormous as business will boom and lives will be transformed.

Captain Christian Yeboah Asante, The Harbour Master at Tema Port, revealed that a lot of preparation has gone into equipping the pilots both practically and technically.

“There was a collaboration between Denmark pilots and Ghanaian pilots. Two pilots have been trained to handle the larger vessels that will be coming to the New Harbour Basin”.

The Harbour Master also indicated that two pilots have gone to China to train on these massive vessels and another two pilots will follow.

The MPS Operations Manager, Emmanuel Ohene-Addo said “Seeing this happen before our eyes is history being unfolded. It gives us further motivation to continue to work hard, to deliver excellence for MPS and our nation. We are just about ready to satisfy the needs of our clients and shipping lines.

The new cranes are part of the fleet of 27 new cranes ordered for the new port.

STS MAIN PARTICULARS

Capacity:                   65 Ton (Twin Lift)

Rail Gauge:               30.48 meters

Outreach:                 66 meters

Back reach:             25 meters

Lift Height:               50.8 m (above rail)

Total Weight:          1,650 Ton

eERTG MAIN PARTICULARS

Capacity:                   41 Ton

Span:                        25.93 meters

Lifting height:         18.1 meters

Total Weight:         147 Ton

Wheels:                    16 Rubber Tyres

The STS cranes are Super Post Panamax and not only one of largest, but also one of the most advanced in the world. They are designed with 66 meter outreach capable of handling containers on board vessels up to 23 rows, and over 10 on deck, while the eRTG (Electric Rubber Tyre Gantries) are capable of stacking containers 7 wide and 1 over 5 high in the container yards.

The STS cranes stand at a towering height of 89 meters, and 134 meters high when boomed up, equivalent to 32 storey-building and 50 stories when boomed up. Like tall skyscrapers, the cranes can be viewed from a far distance within Tema Township.

The Port Project Director, Mark Nolet, confidently expressed the hope that with the arrival of the crane, the Port Expansion area is being transformed from a construction site to a container terminal port.

The Head of Business Transition complemented that the additional 15 cranes are scheduled for delivery in February 2019 well in time for commissioning and training of the operators before the Port Go-live in June.

The cranes are designed for operations on today’s largest container vessels, and will be electrically powered instead of using diesel generators, contributing to an improvement in the environment.

The CEO of MPS expressed his excitement at what had been achieved during the months of hard work and preparation for this moment, as well as what will be done over the next days to fit the STS cranes on the rails, and to connect the eRTG’s to the busbar.

“This is a major milestone for this project, and we are on target” said Mr. Samara.

He congratulated the team and expressed his appreciation to everyone who had contributed in accomplishing the feat for Tema and Ghana as a whole.

 

Source: citinewsroom