Cargo Business Newswire

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Port of Tampa Bay takes delivery of 2 gantry cranes

Two massive cranes designed to handle wider freighter ships arrived at Port Tampa Bay on Friday.

The 16-story gantry cranes, made in China, will allow Port Tampa Bay to serve the super-sized vessels that will travel through the recently expanded Panama Canal. The $24 million cranes are expected to lead to more local jobs for truck drivers, operators, laborers and logistics services.

The new cranes will have a reach of 160 feet, the width of 19 cargo containers. New post-Panamax ships can hold 19 containers across their girths. The

new cranes replace a pair of 42-year-old cranes at the port that extend only 110 feet, the width of 11 cargo containers.

The cranes were purchased with a grant from the state and a loan from the Florida Department of Transportation's State Infrastructure Bank.

Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson said the cranes will have an impact on the port's ability to grow.

For more of the Tampa Tribune story: www.tbo.com