Kerala: Vizhinjam International Seaport Successfully Unloads 10 Container Handling Cranes

Marking a significant step towards port operation, the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala has taken delivery of 10 giant cranes, comprising eight yard cranes and two ship-to-shore cranes.

The last ship, Zhen Hua 24, carrying six-yard cranes from Nantong, China, docked at the port last week and delivered six-yard cranes, before returning to China to bring the next consignment to the port.

Zhen Hua 15, the first cargo ship carried three cranes— one quay crane and two yard cranes, whereas, the second ship, named Zhen Hua 29 brought one quay crane.

Vizhinjam Port authorities have placed an order for a total of eight rail-mounted quay cranes (RMQC) and 24 rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGC) to Shanghai-based company, Zhenhua Port Machinery Company Limited (ZPMC).

The Quay crane or ship-to-shore crane is a type of large dockside crane found at container terminals for loading and unloading container to and from container ships, respectively.

On the other hand, the gantry cranes is a specialized crane designed to move shipping containers from one location to another with precision and efficiency. RMG cranes are typically mounted on rails, allowing them to traverse the length of the terminal and position containers at specific storage locations or onto trucks for transport.

The Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), which is building the port is hopeful of completing the much-touted and delayed international container transshipment port at Vizhinjam by May 2024.

According to a report in The Hindu, construction is in progress for the berth and breakwater. An 800-meter-long berth is required to be completed for vessel berthing in Phase 1 of the project.

Additionally, a corresponding length of 2,960 meters of breakwater must be finished to ensure optimal conditions for vessel berthing. As of now, construction on 2,500 meters of breakwater has already been completed.