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The Port of Baltimore
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July/August 201 2
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The appearance of these partially
assembled, state-of-the-art, super-post-
Panamax machines — the largest of their
kind in the maritime industry — represents
“a significant milestone in our preparations
to handle the larger vessels that will be
transiting through the new and improved
Panama Canal in 2014,” said Mark Schmidt,
Ports America Chesapeake’s Terminal
Manager — Facility.
Expected to be operational by
September, each new, 1,550-metric-ton
crane can reach 206 feet across a vessel
to handle rows of 22 cargo containers
— four containers more than existing
cranes. In addition, they have a working
height of 140 feet, which represents a
30-foot improvement. “They will have
a drive system that is web-based for
quicker trouble-shooting and observation,”
Schmidt said. “They will also have a higher
lifting capacity to allow for heavy boxes
to be discharged.”
The cranes, which together cost $40
million, are one part of a host of big-budget
improvements that have been taking place
at Seagirt. As the result of a unique public-
private partnership with the Maryland
‘Work Horses’ Join Seagirt’s
Powerful Team of Cranes
When the four new additions are operational in September,
Seagirt’s four berths will have 11 cranes at work. “This allows
for significant throughput increase and
for 14,000-TEU [Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit] vessels to
arrive,” said Mark Schmidt, Ports America Chesapeake’s
Terminal Manager – Facility.
Berths 1 through 3, which have a 45-foot draft, utilize
seven post-Panamax cranes, including three with dual hoist.
Twelve rubber-tired gantry cranes support all four berths.
Schmidt added that the new cranes, each with a 50-long-
ton capacity (65-long-ton twin pick or 85-long-ton with cargo
beam), “will become the work horses for the terminal.”
With the new and improved Seagirt Berth 4
in its arsenal, Baltimore becomes one of
only two East Coast ports able to handle
larger ships that will be making their way
through the Panama Canal.
KATHY BERGREN SMITH
KATHY BERGREN SMITH
