WASHINGTON: Ports of Auckland has successfully moved two 1,100 tonne cranes to ready Fergusson Container Terminal for bigger ships and automation. Two older, smaller cranes were lifted off their rails so the three newer, larger cranes could be positioned at the north of the terminal, where they will be able to work bigger ships. Partial automation of the Fergusson container terminal will be a game-changer for Auckland’s port, ensuring extra terminal capacity without reclamation. The technology will allow the port to handle up to 1.7 million TEU each year and support an Auckland population of around 2.7 million. Future technology will give the port additional capacity to serve a regional population of 5 million – more than three times the current population.
Ports of Auckland’s CEO Tony Gibson paid tribute to the company’s highly skilled engineering team who worked closely with crane manufacturing company ZPMC to carry out the project. Gibson said: “More people in Auckland means more imports and more shipping. “This work is one part of our investment in the automation of our container terminal which will meet that growing demand. “This phase of automation gives us enough capacity to handle the freight for an extra million people in Auckland – 30 to 40 years of capacity.”
