Port of San Diego has purchased two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes to replace the diesel-powered crane currently in use at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT). The all-electric, battery-supported mobile harbor cranes will be the first in use in North America and will support the Port’s Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS) and its “Health Equity for All” vision while also increasing productivity and cargo business opportunities at TAMT.
The Port anticipates receiving and putting the cranes into operation in mid-2023. In January, the Board of Port Commissioners authorized a purchase agreement with Germany-based Konecranes GmbH (Konecranes), which has an office in San Diego. The final cost for the cranes will be approximately $14 million, funds for which are budgeted in the Port’s Economic Recovery Program, which was established for the approximately $100 million in federal stimulus funds the Port anticipates receiving in total via the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the State of California’s Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund. The Port has already received $61.4 million.
“We have designated a significant portion of our federal stimulus funds to electrification – about $25 million dollars – for zero-emission equipment just like the all-electric cranes from Konecranes,” says Chairman Dan Malcolm, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “This is just the start of us delivering on our promise to do our part in improving air quality and public health. It’s also an excellent example of how we can meet our clean air and environmental goals while supporting business and job growth.”
In addition this purchase will enable the Port to attract additional business opportunities due to the increased maximum lift capacity – up to 400 metric tons (MT) versus the 100 MT lifting capacity of the Port’s diesel crane. Most of the heavy-lift cargoes destined for this region weigh more than 200 MT, including larger pieces of solar, wind, and industrial energy equipment as well as project cargoes. The new cranes will allow the Port to compete for more business, further capitalizing on the space unlocked by the TAMT Modernization project and the growth forecasted in the larger TAMT Redevelopment Plan.
