The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Konecranes Gottwald Cartagena milestone

(Posted on 14/05/19)

The 2,000th Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Crane has been inaugurated in a formal ceremony at the Ership terminal in the Mediterranean port of Cartagena in southeastern Spain.

The crane is Ership’s new eco-efficient Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 mobile harbour crane, in the G HMK 6407 B four-rope variant. They will use it mainly for continuous-duty bulk handling, and also for general and project cargo up to 100 tons.

Attended by representatives of Ership, Konecranes and other interested parties, the inauguration event was a celebration of mutual achievement. The popularity of Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbor cranes is a result of the success of their customers and strong, lasting customer relationships. A good example of this is the relationship with Ership.

With roots going back more than 100 years, Ership offers a wide range of shipping services in more than 40 international ports. Some 20 years ago, they purchased their first Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbor crane. Since then, they’ve bought over 20 cranes in total, a success story for both Ership and Konecranes.

Gonzalo Alvargonzález, CEO of Ership, is very satisfied with Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbor cranes. “These are very reliable cranes,” he explains. “They are very high-performance and extremely solid. That helps us to serve our customers, who expect their cargo to be unloaded quickly. Time is a very important factor in our work. So, the faster a ship is unloaded, being careful with the cargo, the better.”

It’s success stories like this that illustrate what has kept Konecranes going in the 63 years since it invented the mobile harbor crane. Since then, increases in cargo handling rates, technological developments and strengthening customer demands have shaped the market. Konecranes has introduced many innovations, including this four-rope variant, and sold over 300 units of the versatile Model 6 crane, its bestselling model. In total, Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbor cranes have been sold to more than 100 countries. Number 2,000 is a milestone worth remembering.

“Our mobile harbor cranes offer added value for customers and the port industry,” says Heribert Barlage, Senior Vice President for Konecranes Mobile Harbor Cranes. “The 2,000th crane is a sign of our commitment to both. But just like every other important milestone we reach, this one is also an incentive for us to constantly develop our cranes and in so doing, make them fit for the future.”

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2018, Group sales totaled EUR 3.16 billion. The Group has 16,100 employees in 50 countries.