South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT), a unit of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) at the Port of Lae, is now capable of handling larger boxships after receiving a pair of new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, the largest port equipment in Papua New Guinea.
Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. and with a reach of up to 17 rows across, the new Post-Panamax cranes can easily service vessels of up to 6,000 TEUs and are part of ICTSI’s ongoing programme to strengthen and enhance the overall operational efficiency at Papua New Guinea’s container terminal.
Robert Maxwell, ICTSI South Pacific CEO, commented, “ICTSI is very proud to have delivered another major milestone in Papua New Guinea after delivering the country’s very first quay cranes at our SPICT facility. With improved productivity, the Port of Lae will soon become an important transshipment hub for the Pacific islands region.”
According to ICTSI, with the new equipment, shipping lines can expect quayside productivity gains and shorter port stays.
The terminal will soon be able to facilitate direct calls by larger vessels operating in the major trade routes, which in turn would reduce costs for both importers and exporters in the region.
Maxwell noted, “As we plant the seeds to create sustainable port cities and communities, it is our hope that this new equipment will further sustain Papua New Guinea’s economic growth and expanding international trade over the coming years.”
ICTSI said that once the STS cranes are deployed, one of the mobile harbor cranes currently at SPICT will be transferred to Motukea International Terminal (MIT) in Port Moresby, thereby also increasing the operational efficiency for both terminals.
ICTSI South Pacific has also invested in two 2.5-Megawatt Cummins power generators to ensure constant power supply in its Lae terminal, and procured seven new truck trailers in Lae and three units in Motukea, as part of the additional investment to support the STS cranes increased productivity.
Additional equipment, such as empty container handlers, is expected to arrive in both terminals in 2023, same as two additional rubber tired gantries (RTG) for SPICT.
