Cargo ships docking at the port of Mombasa are poised to spend less time transferring cargo after the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) acquired a new Ship-to-Shore (STS) crane and eight new rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs) which will significantly increase efficiency at the port.
The new equipment are part of a KSh 6.68billion acquisition of 4 STSs and 12RTGs and therefore a key step towards the modernization and automation of the Port in line with the Master Plan.
Yesterday’s (April 21) new arrivals brings the total number of RTG cranes at the Port of Mombasa to 46 and STSs to 13, which means that the movement of import containers from the berths (and export containers to the berth) will be more efficient.
Four more RTG cranes will be delivered next month bringing the total to 50. The other three STS cranes are under construction and will be delivered in 2021 bringing the total of STS cranes to 16.
Ship and berth productivity is a decisive factor in modern container handling. Ship Productivityis defined as the average of the gross moves per hourfor each ship that calls into a port.
Gross moves per hourfor asingle vesselcall is defined as the total container moves(onload, offload and repositioning) divided by thenumber of hoursfor which the vesselis at berth.The new STS is able to lift two twenty-foot containers in one move, making it an ideal solution for terminals where time-saving counts.
KPA General Manager Engineering Services Eng. Rashid Salim who received the equipment on behalf of the MD, said the new equipment will increase the overall efficiency of the port including cargo off take by the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
“These new cranes are the latest acquisition in our ongoing investment programme to provide modern equipment, and the best infrastructure and systems for shipping lines and cargo owners. They will further enhance our capability to work multiple mega-vessels simultaneously,” said Eng. Salim.
The acquisition of KPA’s equipment is part of the Mombasa Port Development Programme for the Second Container Terminal (CT2) financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In line with the Authority’s port expansion and capacity enhancement activities, not to mention the rising uptake of cargo via the Standard Gauge Railway, the new equipment will firm the Mombasa port position as the regional hub and port of choice.
RTGs are used in intermodal operations to ground containers or stack containers. Inbound cargo is stored for future pickup by trucks, while outbound containers are stacked for loading onto vessels.
The new RTGs are also equipped with a hybrid power system which reduces carbon emissions and improves fuel efficiency by up to 50%, making them environmentally friendly.
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