The Port of Mobile welcomed the M/V Zen Hua 7 as she delivered four critical pieces of equipment supporting over $380 million dollars of seaport expansion projects.
Mobile Container Terminal LLC oversaw the arrival of the first two new container cranes for the new multi-carrier container terminal expected to open in September this year. The two Post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes were manufactured by ZPMC in Shanghai, China. Each crane is 240 feet tall and 90 feet wide with a gauge of 100 feet. The boom length is 150 feet. The 65 ton capacity cranes are capable of up to 60 containers-per-hour cycle time and reaching 18 containers wide onboard a vessel.
Mobile Container Terminal represents a public/private partnership between the Alabama State Port Authority and Mobile Container Terminal, LLC, and just over $300 million in new infrastructure and equipment investments. The Port Authority and Mobile Container Terminal LLC announced their venture in November 2005 shortly after construction permits for the container terminal were approved. Mobile Container Terminal LLC is a joint venture between APM Terminals North America and Terminal Link, a subsidiary of CMA CGM that will provide terminal customers with access to global networks covering all possible trade routes to and from the Port of Mobile. Mobile Container Terminal LLC purchased the ZPMC cranes and will operate the new container terminal.
The M/V Zen Hua 7 also carried into port the final equipment delivery for the Port Authority's $80 million expansion program at McDuffie Terminal. The two stacker-reclaimers, also manufactured by ZPMC, will increase throughput capacity and improve efficiencies in the terminal. The rail mounted stacker-reclaimers each have nine buckets that can stack coal in the yard or reclaim that coal in the yard depending upon the particular operation. The new stacker-reclaimers can handle 3000 tons of coal per hour.
The Port Authority has invested heavily in its coal handling capabilities in response to strong growth in both the steam and metallurgical coal markets. McDuffie Terminal is the largest import terminal, and the most versatile coal handling facility, in the United States capable of simultaneous ship, rail, and barge operations for both export and import operations. The Authority's expansion project since 2006 has added a new import berth, new barge and rail loading capabilities, new stacker-reclaimers, as well as software and electronics upgrades throughout the yard. Phase I of the expansion brought McDuffie's throughput capacity to 22-24 million tons annually. With the completion of the expansion project in November of this year, McDuffie's annual throughput capacity will top 30 million tons.
