GT USA Wilmington, partnering with KoneCranes, has taken delivery of five new Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware, which will significantly strengthen the terminal’s operational efficiency and increase overall productivity.

As part of an initial investment of US$100 million, the Kone RTG cranes are all electric, making them eco-friendly to benefit the environment. Spanning 7 containers wide and 5 high, these cranes will transform the yard space from a previously wheeled operation into an efficient stacking system to benefit gate and vessel operations.

Eric Casey, CEO of GT USA Wilmington, said: “The addition of these advanced crane systems at the Port of Wilmington underlines our commitment to further strengthen our operations at the terminal. Since taking over operations at the port it has been our key goal to significantly improve performance for the benefit of our partners and customers. We continuously review our operational procedures to enhance the investment we are making in our facility and to strengthen the efficiency of operations and maximise productivity. The new RTG cranes will provide greater flexibility in their operations. This will help speed up the terminal operations and create even better value for our customers.”

This equipment is the first part of a phased delivery to develop an identified container yard. The cranes will be delivered on site fully assembled by KoneCranes ready to be commissioned to enter operations once the yard densification project is complete. This project, scheduled to be completed in late Fall 2020, will effectively double the current yard capacity.