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Part of the APM Terminals group, Oman’s Port of Salalah has recently taken delivery of 12 out of a total of 16 new, more environmentally efficient rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes ordered last year from ZPMC of China. These cranes are now at the commissioning stage, with the remaining four expected to be delivered in the next few weeks. All 16 cranes will be fully operational by the end of January 2022, the port says. The new equipment will not only reduce the terminal’s environmental impact, but also significantly improve container handling capacity at the port.
In addition, the Port of Salalah is investing in three new mobile harbour cranes from Liebherr in Ireland. These are expected to arrive in the first few months of 2022, significantly enhancing general cargo handling capabilities. Two of the mobile cranes will arrive in February while the third will be received in April.
“Our investment in the latest RTG and mobile harbour cranes demonstrates our long-term commitment to optimise operational efficiencies and cargo handling services, while accommodating existing and new trade,” said Mark Hardiman, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Salalah.
The new RTG cranes come fitted with the latest Siemens Simotion D technology, can lift 41 tons, and feature six-wide container stacking plus a truck lane. They can also be monitored remotely and integrated with the asset digitisation system currently being installed in the terminal to monitor productivity and efficiency. In addition, they feature laser anti-collision systems to protect machinery and pedestrians.
The investments are being made against the backdrop of healthy increases in activity at the port. Salalah achieved a record-breaking container handling volume of 4.37 million TEU, passing the previous milestone set in 2020, two weeks before the end of the year, despite the well-documented operational challenges facing the container shipping business.
