Kenya Ports Authority Acquires Second Ship-to-Shore Gantry Cranes

By Mwakwaya Raymond

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Kenya Ports Authority has made a significant move towards efficiency and modernisation at the port after unloading the second ship-to-shore gantry cranes (STS) on April 14, 2023.

The cranes will change the capacity in handling the current trade volumes that will spur future economic growth.

Addressing the media at the port, transport cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the newly acquired cranes would be deployed at Berth 16.

The previous equipment will be decommissioned as it had served its purpose dutifully for the past 19 years.

According to the CS this transition stands as a tangible testament to the adherence to the authority’s equipment replacement policy.

The cranes boast of a remarkable hoisting speed of 80 meters per minute and effortlessly lifting a maximum of 65 tons in a twin lift motion.

These cranes outpace the capabilities of the previous ones with a hoisting speed of 70 meters per minute.

Again, the trolley speed of the acquired STS clock in at an impressive 240 meters per minute, compared to the previous 180 meters per minute.

The equipment, CS said, had a capacity of handling bigger vessels of 21 containers across compared to the previous one that handled only 18 across.

Apart from that, the cranes also do carry and have high acceleration of speed which is good in minimizing downtime, that is, good for global trade with precision.

Last year, KPA received yet another brand-new set of three STSs which were stationed at the newly completed Berth 22, where they have been operational ever since.

The port has since then, registered a remarkable growth with cargo handling surging from 17.48 million tons in 2022 to an impressive 18.06 million tons this year, marking a robust 3.3 percent increase.

That aside, the container traffic shared a similar narrative, rising from 722,063 TEUs to 783,125 TEUs, signifying an impressive 8.5 percent surge.

However, the projection of handling 34.5 million tons (1.4 percent more than 2022) and 1.56 million TEUs (7.7 percent growth from 2022) underscores the unwavering commitment to progress.

The investment resonates with the authority’s commitment to meeting the ever-evolving needs of their partners, stakeholders, and the global trade network that they contribute to.