Konecranes brings innovative MHC to Florida port

(Posted on 12/11/20)

In September 2020, the Panama City Port Authority (PCPA) ordered an eco-efficient Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Crane for their operations at Port Panama City, in the Florida Panhandle, USA. With delivery and commissioning planned for April 2021, the crane will handle containers, general cargo and breakbulk.

Established in 1945, the PCPA operates the Port of Panama City which is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast approximately 150 miles east of the Port of Mobile, Alabama. The port is a growing regional hub providing services for intermodal cargo, including road, rail and barge. Recent development added the East Terminal in early 2020, which includes new facilities for deepwater access and the export of forest products, with another berth and more storage warehouses coming soon. Plans for the existing West Terminal include a new container freight station and an expanded bulk storage facility. In order to increase the overall tonnage capacity, PCPA looked for a new mobile harbor crane that can handle the most common types of cargo.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve operated two Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbor cranes and we’ve been delighted,” says Wayne Stubbs, Executive Director of Port Panama City. “Their cranes have always been efficient and reliable, helping us to meet tight deadlines. Now we would like a crane that will help take us into the future, with flexible, environmentally-conscious technology that doesn’t compromise on performance in a busy harbor environment.”

The new crane will be a Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 Mobile Harbor Crane in the G HMK 6407 variant, the same model they ordered in 2014. It gives a maximum lifting capacity of up to 100 t and a working radius of up to 51 m, with the outreach needed for ships up to post-Panamax in containers and Capesize in Bulker class. The new crane will be equipped with an external power supply to be operated via the existing harbor mains. When traveling and during autonomous operation (if a connection to the harbor mains is not available), the crane can also use its innovative onboard hybrid drive, combining a Volvo Penta diesel genset with ultracapacitors. The ultracaps provide additional power for heavy lifts and are refilled by recuperating lowering and braking energy. This special system gives maximum adaptability in changing port conditions and ensures that the crane is always ready to deliver loads to or from the terminal. It also follows the strict EPA Tier 4 standards, reducing local emissions and noise while also lowering energy and maintenance costs for the port.

“It’s very satisfying to know that the Panama City Port Authority trusts in our innovative solutions to help them move towards the future,” says Andreas Moeller, Senior Sales Manager for Konecranes Mobile Harbor Cranes. “This trust reflects the quality of our technology and service. The port is constantly changing and Konecranes looks forward to continuing our long customer relationship with them.”