Mobile Crane Suits Chile’s Peak Season Fruit Harvest Demands
23rd October 2017
Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaiso, located on the south pacific coast of Chile, is a major container terminal in Chile and Latin America, and is one of the most efficient terminals in the region. TPS, part of Ultramar Group and Contug Terminals (MSC), operates in an area of over 14 hectares composed of five berths, handling an average of one million TEUs. Nearly 90 percent of cargo coming through Valparaíso is processed through TPS, which amounts to over 10.3 million tonnes per year. In the year 2016, 96 percent of the cargo handled by the terminal was in containers and the remaining four percent was general cargo.
The fruit harvest season is very concentrated in Chile, due to constant high temperatures. Many different fruits have to be harvested, packed and shipped in a short time period. This requires reliable port equipment to ensure fast export to North America, Asia or Europe. In order to meet the needs of their customers also in the peak season TPS decided to order a Liebherr mobile harbour crane type LHM 800.
The new machine has a maximum lifting capacity of 154 tonnes and an outreach of 64 metres. The additional tower extension of 9.6 metres ensures an operator eye level of more than 40 metres. Those parametres ease the fast and safe handling of containers. The LHM 800 is able to service vessels with up to 22 container rows across, depending on the terminal set up. The crane will be mainly used to handle container, espacially temperature controlled container.
The LHM 800 was shipped via RoRo vessel from the Dutch company Rolldock. The crane rolled fully assembled onto the vessel Rolldock Sky at the end of September. After a 13,000km journey from Rostock / Germany to Valparaíso / Chile the machine can easily roll off the vessel. This mode of transportation is very convenient for the customer as no additional cranes are needed to unload the new machine. Furthermore, the LHM 800 is ready for operation in a very short time period.