Two Large Ship-to-Shore Cranes Officially Commissioned at Sydney Harbour, Australia

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 5, Hutchison Ports Sydney at Port Botany in Australia officially commissioned two new ship-to-shore container cranes capable of serving container ships with a capacity of more than 15,000 TEU. Each crane has an outreach of 79 meters, can cover 23 rows of containers across the width of a vessel, and can handle container stacks of more than 9 tiers on deck. This equipment upgrade enables the terminal to serve large container ships approximately 50% larger than those currently deployed on major Australian shipping routes.

The two new units, numbered 5 and 6, were manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) of China and custom-designed for the operating environment at the Sydney terminal. The equipment stands more than 70 meters tall, with a lifting height of 47 meters, and each unit weighs more than 1,800 tonnes. Compared with the terminal's existing ship-to-shore cranes, which have an outreach of approximately 55 meters, the new equipment extends the operating range to 79 meters, covering a wider vessel deck and providing the equipment conditions for loading and unloading operations after large container ships berth.

The new cranes use a computer control system, with hoisting speeds approximately 50% faster than the terminal's existing equipment. They are also equipped with an energy recovery system that captures part of the energy through the braking system during container lifting and lowering and feeds it back into the equipment's power supply system. The cranes are pre-fitted with interfaces for solar panel installation, providing conditions for adding auxiliary energy supply in the future.

The two ship-to-shore cranes arrived at Port Botany in Sydney in June 2026, held their first lifting operation event in early October, and officially entered operation on November 5 after installation, commissioning, and operational preparation. The equipment manufacturer, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, and Hutchison Ports carried out customized design work in relation to the airport environment surrounding the terminal. The project took nearly two years from planning and approval to equipment delivery, with related engineering coordination and manufacturing work lasting approximately 18 months.

Hutchison Ports Sydney is located at Container Terminal No. 3 at Port Botany in Sydney, with an operating area of approximately 49 hectares, a quay line of about 1,300 meters, 4 berths, two rail sidings of approximately 600 meters each, and 12 automated yard cranes. The terminal connects to the inland freight network via the rail sidings, allowing containers to be transferred between ship loading and unloading, yard storage, and rail transport. With the new ship-to-shore cranes in operation, the terminal's quayside ship loading and unloading equipment can accommodate larger-scale container ships.