DP World Antwerp has ordered new drive units for four of its Konecranes Gottwald automated stacking cranes (ASCs). The terminal in Belgium aims to improve the connection areas between the bogie and balancer beams for these four machines and four more ASCs.
Konecranes believes the upgrades will improve the efficiency and reliability of existing equipment at the terminal.
The order, which is part of a larger renovation programme that will take place over the coming years, was placed in January 2022.
Parts are expected to be delivered in the middle of the year and the upgrades to the eight ASCs will be operational until the fourth quarter of 2022.
DP World currently operates the Antwerp Gate Terminal with a fleet of 20 ASCs by Konecranes Gottwald. The terminal has 34 new Konecranes Gottwald ASCs on order over the next four years.
Older ASCs can be updated with the latest features, according to the statement.
“We’ve had Konecranes Gottwald ASCs for nearly 15 years, and they still work well. But they were made with the technology available then, so an upgrade will bring their performance and reliability in line with our new ASCs,” said Jef Lambregts, head of projects at DP World Antwerp Gateway, adding, “Extending the productive life of port equipment is appreciated by our customers because it saves them money, and it helps us to reach our sustainability goals.”
