WASHINGTON: Associated British Port’s (ABP) Port of Ipswich has spent over £160 000 on recent purchase of five new cargo handling grabs to meet an increase in trade of dry bulk materials at the port. This recent purchase brings ABP’s investment into the Port of Ipswich up to £2.2 million this year. The grabs have been ordered through pALM Bulk Solutions who have provided ABP with the five MRS grabs, increasing the capabilities of the current bulk handling equipment.
The grabs, of varying sizes, are all of a high close, clam shell design. The largest grab will have a capacity of 13.0 m3 and is designed for handling a wide range of bulk materials including fertilizer, grain, soya and animal feeds. They have been designed to fit equipment already in operation at the port, including the dockside crane and material handlers.
The purchase of the new grabs follows a strong year of investment into the East Anglian ports. Earlier this year, seven forklift trucks were purchased and brought into operation at the Ports of Ipswich and King’s Lynn and two new loading shovels.
Director Short Sea Ports, Andrew Harston said: “The Port of Ipswich is the UK’s number one grain exporting port, and we need to ensure that we are providing our customers with the highest standard of equipment.” “The investment in these new grabs will improve our bulk handling operations and is part of ABP’s wider ongoing equipment improvement programme,” he continued.
pALM Bulk Solutions Director, Andrew Mitchell, said: “Each of the grabs incorporate a unique design which has been developed in conjunction with ABP for previous orders. We have worked with ABP to supply grabs at their other ports including King’s Lynn, Garston, Newport and Ayr.” “As the UK dealer for MRS Greifer GmbH, who are based in Germany, this latest order by ABP takes the number of the MRS grabs supplied in the UK to 99 which is a fantastic result,” he concluded.
