Georgia Port Authority Places Major Order with Konecranes

This month, the Georgia Port Authority (GPA) ordered 20 Konecranes rubber-tired gantry cranes and four Super Post Panamax ship-to-shore cranes from Konecranes. The deliveries start with the first RTGs in 2011 and continue with STS cranes during 2013. The value of the order was not made public.

The Port of Savannah is the fastest growing container port in the United States and the second largest port on the East Coast. Exports are driving economic recovery at the port, which boasts a balanced export/import ratio. It handled 12 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in 2010, a total of 1.14 million TEUs.

“We consider Konecranes a valued partner in our ongoing effort to build capacity and serve a growing sector of the US market,” said Curtis Foltz, Executive Director, GPA. “This new order will not only allow the Port of Savannah add to the largest and most efficient fleet of STS and RTG cranes in the Southeast United States, but it will provide additional emission reductions and environmental improvements for our local community.” Presently, the GPA has 96 Konecranes RTGs and 18 Konecranes STS cranes.

The Super Post Panamax STS cranes on order have a lifting capacity of 66 tons and an outreach of 61 meters. The fuel-saving RTG cranes on order have been designed to take future environmental requirements into account. Konecranes' fuel-saving system eliminates idling and also reduces noise and emissions, permitting these RTGs to consume up to 30 percent less fuel than conventional RTGs. The 16-wheel RTGs have a lifting capacity of 50 tons and can stack one-over-five containers high, and six-plus truck lanes wide.