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South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) is now capable of handling larger box ships after receiving a pair of new ship-to-shore cranes
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The STS cranes have a reach of up to 17 rows across, and can service vessels of up to 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units
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It is part of ICTSI’s program to enhance the overall operational efficiency at the PNG container terminal
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Additional equipment such as empty container handlers and two rubber-tired gantries are expected to arrive in SPICT in 2023
South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT), a unit of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) at the Port of Lae, Papua New Guinea, is now capable of handling larger box ships after receiving a pair of new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes.
The new post-Panamax cranes have a reach of up to 17 rows across and can service vessels of up to 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, ICTSI said in a statement. They are manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZPMC) and are part of ICTSI’s program to strengthen and enhance the overall operational efficiency at the PNG container terminal.
“ICTSI is very proud to have delivered another major milestone in Papua New Guinea after delivering the country’s very first quay cranes at our SPICT facility. With improved productivity, the Port of Lae will soon become an important transshipment hub for the Pacific islands region,” Robert Maxwell, ICTSI South Pacific chief executive officer, said.
With the new equipment, ICTSI said shipping lines can expect quayside productivity gains and shorter port stays. The terminal will soon be able to facilitate direct calls by larger vessels operating in the major trade routes, which in turn would reduce costs for both importers and exporters in the region, the company said.
“As we plant the seeds to create sustainable port cities and communities, it is our hope that this new equipment will further sustain Papua New Guinea’s economic growth and expanding international trade over the coming years,” Maxwell added.
Once the STS cranes are deployed, one of the mobile harbor cranes currently at SPICT will be transferred to Motukea International Terminal (MIT) in Port Moresby, thereby also increasing the operational efficiency for both terminals.
Earlier this year, ICTSI South Pacific invested in two 2.5-megawatt Cummins power generators to ensure constant power supply in its Lae terminal, and procured seven new truck trailers in Lae and three units in Motukea, as part of the additional investment to support the STS cranes increased productivity. Additional equipment such as empty container handlers are expected to arrive in both terminals in 2023, along with two additional rubber-tired gantries for SPICT.
ICTSI South Pacific likewise sent several of its employees from SPICT and MIT to train at ICTSI flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in the Philippines. The trainings conducted were done to enhance their familiarity on operating the new STS cranes and improve their management and supervision capabilities.
In September 2017, ICTSI, through ICTSI South Pacific, signed a 25-year terminal operations agreement with state-owned PNG Ports Corporation Limited for the Port of Lae. SPICT’s contract specifically covers the port operations and facilities at SPICT.
