13 February 2001

The Port of Felixstowe is to acquire a further eight Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs) for its Trinity Terminal. The new cranes, manufactured by Fantuzzi Reggiane in Italy, will be capable of stacking containers one over five high.

The order follows quickly on the heels for an order for ten similar machines placed with ZPMC of Shanghai in September 2000. The ZPMC order also included two new Ship-To-Shore Gantry Cranes and options for a further twelve RTGs and six Ship-To-Shore Gantry Cranes.

Announcing the order Chris Gray, Managing Director of the Port of Felixstowe and Chief Executive of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, said:

"The new equipment will significantly increase capacity, and the efficiency of landside operations, at the Port of Felixstowe. We are ordering this equipment now so as to be in a position to handle further increases in traffic that we predict in the coming years."

The eight new RTGs will be delivered in June and July 2001. The 16 wheel machines are fitted with AC drive engineering supplied by Noell based on Siemens inverters. They will be powered by Caterpillar diesel engines.

In October 2000 Felixstowe applied to the UK government for permission to extend the quay at Trinity Terminal by a further 270 metres. Subject to receiving approval the new quay will be operational in 2003 boosting the capacity of the UK's largest container port to well over 3 million TEUs per annum.