DP WORLD has announced a major step forward in the performance of its terminal in Southampton with the completion of the crane rail extension, which will enable the world’s largest cranes to service the entire length of the quay.
The 120-meter crane rail extension is part of DP World’s $ 54 million investment this year in the UK’s second largest container terminal, with foundations 26 meters underground. It took 16 weeks to build.
It will make it easier to move along the quay for some of the terminal’s up to 130 meter high Liebherr cranes, with flexibility in equipment being a top priority.
The new configuration (pictured) is designed to maximize utilization and save customers time by speeding up loading and unloading at the quay.
Together with the approval for the dredging of a third berth to a depth of more than 15 meters and the construction of a second empty container park planned for September, the investment takes Southampton as intelligent logistics to the next level of hub.
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Ernst Schulze, Chief Executive of DP World in the UK, said: “Our goal is to be a partner in our customers’ business success and to provide fast, reliable and flexible connections to international supply chains and markets.
“DP World Southampton is the UK’s most productive port – it turns container trucks faster than any of its competitors and, at over 30 percent, has the highest percentage of its containers transported by rail.
“The completion of the crane runway extension builds on the progress made this year with the opening of a new border control post and the dredging and expansion work on several berths.
“Our next step – a $ 4 million investment in redesigning the yard to store and deliver customer empty containers – will increase capacity by 25 percent and give our customers even more flexibility and resilience.”
In March, London Gateway and Southampton became the first deep-water ports in Great Britain to handle Freightliner’s new 775-meter-long intermodal container trains.
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