Latin American river ports take Gottwalds

Two river ports in Latin America have bought Gottwald mobile harbour cranes to take advantage of untapped cargo handling opportunities.

Integra Marine & Freight Services (IMFS) ordered a 100 tonne capacity HMK 260 E for operations at the port of Paramaribo, Suriname. Puerto Fenix, Puertos & Estibajes will take delivery of a 63 tonne HMK 170 E, destined for the port of Asunción, Paraguay.

"Cargo handling potential has been largely untapped in the river ports of these two countries and Gottwald's mobile harbour cranes are aimed at addressing this," said Andreas Moeller, Gottwald deputy sales director. "These, the latest orders from Suriname and Paraguay, confirm and further strengthen our market position in Latin America, where Gottwald has continuously expanded its presence since the early 1990s."

The HMK 260 E will handle containers and general cargo at Paramaribo, on the Suriname River, about 20 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean. "The new crane will be the most modern front-line equipment in our terminal and help us to make the port a more efficient shipping hub," said Remy Vyzelman, IMFS president.

The crane will have six axles, one more than usual, because the quay at Paramaribo has a restricted load-bearing capacity. Delivery will be in the second quarter of 2009.

Port of Asunción is on the left bank of the Paraguay River and connects the landlocked country with coastal ports. The terminal handles about 60,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent units) each year, and plans to upgrade equipment to increase capacity and improve the attractiveness of the inland waterway network. The HMK 170 E is, again, due to arrive there in the second quarter of 2009.