SIMIC

The order was booked in Q3, 2022 and the crane deliveries will start in the last half of 2023 and continue to mid-2024.

Port Houston is expanding significantly with a channel improvement programme and land infrastructure investment.

Container volumes grew a record 15 per cent in 2021 year over year and as part of its investment programme, the port has ordered 26 hybrid Konecranes RTGs to reinforce its current fleet of Konecranes RTGs at its Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals. Across the two terminals, the current fleet comprises ninety diesel Konecranes RTGs and twenty-six hybrid Konecranes RTGs.

The hybrid Konecranes RTGs on order feature advanced Li-ion battery technology and a battery management system that monitors the charge level and general health of the batteries.

Konecranes can monitor the status of this system via TRUCONNECT remote connection. The hybrid power system is completely modular and retrofittable. It includes an eco-efficient Tier 4f diesel engine that will charge the batteries when necessary.

"Port Houston is forging ahead in both productivity and container crane eco-efficiency. Hybrid Konecranes RTGs have a proven track record, and this new order from Port Houston exemplifies this," says Jussi Suhonen, vice-president regional sales, port solutions, Konecranes.

The RTGs will have a lifting capacity of 50 tonnes while stacking containers 1-over-5 high and 6 plus truck lane wide.