Cameroon terminal updates fleet with Konecranes trucks

The Container Terminal Management of the Port of Douala (RTC) has received delivery of five Konecranes Liftace reach stackers and one empty container handler to increase the productivity of its operations. The order was booked in April 2021, and the lift trucks were handed over in a special on-site ceremony in December 2021.

RTC is part of the Port Authority of Douala and has been in charge of managing the terminal on the west African coast since January 2020. Douala is the economic centre of – and the largest city in – Cameroon. It is one of central Africa’s largest ports, also providing sea access to the landlocked regions of Chad, the Central African Republic and the northern area of the Republic of the Congo. RTC is keen to update its multimodal terminal with reliable, modern container handling equipment to increase capacity as demand continues to rise, with an average annual throughput of 370,000 TEU traveling on sea, road and rail. The lift trucks are used for most of the export yard operations and taking care of empty containers.

“Our terminal has been using Konecranes products for years, and they’ve provided outstanding performance,” says Adepi Martin, Chief Operation Officer of RTC. “With the help of their excellent customer service, we’re sure that these new Konecranes lift trucks will help us to maximise our efficiency all the way from landside to quayside, reduce vessel anchorage time and transit time, and improve container truck turnaround.”

“This new delivery shows the level of confidence that RTC has in Konecranes,” says Winfried Lux, Sales Manager for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “We offer durability, reliability and flexibility in both our products and our partnership with them. Local dealer Patterson Simons & Co. (Africa) Ltd. has provided essential support whenever needed and we are pleased to continue working with RTC as they develop their terminal fleet into the future.”

The five new reach stackers are Konecranes Liftace SMV 4532 TCE5s, sturdy 45-tonne lifting machines able to stack up to five containers high. The empty container handler is an SMV 6/7 ECC 90, with a wide mast for the option of stacking six empty high-cube containers or seven standard containers. All six lift trucks feature the ergonomic OPTIMA cabin for comfort and wide visibility, and each vehicle uses a Tier 3 engine to maintain productivity while minimising fuel consumption and emissions.

Included in the delivery are full spare parts packages, ensuring that parts will always be available when needed, eliminating delivery wait times, minimising downtime and allowing easier maintenance planning.

A strong focus on customers and a commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a lifting industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalisation and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonise the economy and advance circularity and safety.