The arrival of five new colossal ship-to-shore (STS) cranes to the Europa Terminal, marks a big step forward for PSA Antwerp’s port modernization project. The mega STS cranes are designed to handle the biggest container ships in the world and keep up with the quickly evolving international freight transport. They are the biggest STS cranes ever ordered for the Port of Antwerp. These cranes play an important role in PSA Antwerp’s “Project Emerald”.
Once they are all set up, each of the gigantic STS cranes will be 52 meters tall and have a reach of 71.8 meters. This means they can service ships that are up to 26 containers wide. The cranes can lift up to 112 tons, which will make operations more efficient, increase berth productivity, and make service more reliable for PSA Antwerp clients. The investment is a vital part of Project Emerald and helps with the bigger changes to the Europa Terminal. PSA Antwerp and Port of Antwerp-Bruges are working together on this project to make sure that the terminal can handle the next generation of container ships.
The mega STS cranes have superior safety and operating technologies in addition to their size. These are anti-sway systems, remote diagnostics, very precise controls, and built-in digital monitoring to provide the best performance. Operators will operate in cabins that are meant to be comfortable, and they will have access to more VR training environments. This will help them in learning new skills and improve safety and operational performance. There are also integrated lashing platforms, which make it safe to con and decon containers on an elevated platform. The design lowers dangers on the ground by clearly separating lashing teams from terminal traffic. This makes the overall safety conditions much better.
The huge STS cranes are also in accordance with PSA’s global environmental goals. They have energy-efficient electric drives, regenerative energy systems, and are compatible with smart grids. These advancements help cut down on energy use and emissions during the loading and unloading of ships, making port operations more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The milestone delivery is a key point in phase 1 of Project Emerald. This phase includes major infrastructure work, like the Port of Antwerp-Bruges deepening, reorienting, and extending the quay wall, as well as the use of new technology and sustainability measures to make the Europa Terminal ready for the future.
