Sale of a 100t HMK 300 E to the Port of Rio Grande brings to thirteen the number of Gottwald mobile harbour cranes there are in Brazil.
The crane was commissioned on 18 September 2003 and is operated by Tecon Rio Grande. It is the third of this model to be sold to Barilian customers this year, Gottwald Port Technology said.
Tecon Rio Grande, running the Container Terminal of the Port of Rio Grande, ordered the crane at the Intermodal Fair in Sao Paulo in April 2003. Two HMK 280 Es, the forerunner of the HMK 300 E, have been in operation at Tecon Rio Grande since 1997. These two HMK 280 Es were the very first Gottwald cranes delivered to Brazil.
“The two HMK 280 E mobile harbour cranes have created a very good basis to build up our position as one of the most efficient terminals in South America. They have been a crucial component for our economic development and sustainable growth,” said Tecon Rio Grande director Paulo Bertinetti. “With more than 20,000 operating hours each since 1997, the two HMK 280 Es have enabled us to operate with a high level of efficiency and reliability. Due to our excellent experience with our existing Gottwald cranes, we have decided to rely on Gottwald technology again to expand our capacity.” HMK 300 E Mobile Harbour Crane provides higher lifting capacities at greater radii than the HMK 280 E and can handle any fully laden 40ft container in an operating window of 13 container rows across the vessel and five lengthways without re-positioning. On larger vessels, this crane can even handle containers located in the 16th row.
The crane being supplied to Brazil has been especially equipped with an additional 5m-long tower extension to provide a higher cab viewing position, meeting the requirements for handling cargo on large vessels.
To date, Gottwald has sold more than 850 mobile harbour cranes worldwide.