The cranes will help the terminal to cope with new business secured in October 2005 that will boost its container throughput by some 500,000 TEUs (20ft equivalent units) per year.
The additional throughput will exceed the 1.5m TEU theoretical terminal capacity. However, because land expansion is unfeasible in a short time frame, PAJ, with the help of Kalmar’s expertise, decided that the optimal solution would be additional stacking density.
This will be achieved by the use of four-high straddle carriers to increase the average stacking height of loaded containers and empty container handlers to block-stow empties and clear an additional footprint for loaded boxes.
The first units are to be handed over in April 2006, with delivery completion scheduled for July 2006. The order will bring the total number of straddle carriers in operation at Kingston to 74.
PAJ vice president of engineering and development Mervis Edgehill said: “We have had a very positive long-term working history with Kalmar, right back from when Kingston took delivery of its first Kalmar straddle carriers in 1986.”
Kingston operates through two terminals – the Port Bustamante North Terminal and the Gordon Cay South Terminal. The facility first passed the one million TEU throughput mark in 2002 and has been averaging growth of 10% annually.
Kingston Port is owned by PAJ while Kingston Container Terminal (KCT) is operated by AP Moller subsidiary, APM Terminals, under a 2002 joint venture agreement.
