On 19 November 2019, vessel Zhen Hua 25 entered the Port of Antwerp carrying a load of five new quay cranes – two of which were bound for PSA Antwerp’s Noordzee Terminal (Noordzee).

Zhen Hua 25’s call at Antwerp symbolises the completion of what has been a two-year investment in port infrastructure upgrading works at Noordzee. The terminal had received four new quay cranes earlier.

PSA Antwerp and ATS staff worked closely with crane manufacturer ZPMC to ensure that construction of the two final cranes met the highest standards both technically and operationally. Tailor-made in China and taking one year to construct, these dual-hoist quay cranes have a lifting height of 52 metres and a 70-metre outreach. They each can handle a total weight of 100 tons, spread over two 40-foot or four 20-foot containers simultaneously. These two new cranes boast the largest lifting capacity in Belgium and are fully capable of servicing the latest mega container ships plying the seas to-date.

Additional upgrading works also included the deepening of Noordzee’s quay wall to 17 metres and extension of the quay to 1,225 metres. The delivery of these two new quay cranes brings the total crane fleet size at Noordzee Terminal to 14, of which 10 are dual-hoist.

PSA Antwerp Managing Director Jan Van Mossevelde said, “Thanks to these expansions, we are perfectly capable of simultaneously handling multiple mega vessels at Noordzee Terminal and meeting the demands of the largest shipping alliances.”