The specialist heavy lift ship, M.V. Tern, carrying its eagerly await cargo of 2 x 23 Row Ship-to-Shore Cranes marks an important milestone in the turnkey project, completed its extensive journey by sea, on time. The new equipment joins the LSCT family, with now all “members” on site.
For those who have not experienced the delivery of ship to shore cranes from ship to berth, a time-lapse video will shortly be available on www.contshipitalia.com, as a record of this now commonplace engineering feat. For those who are more familiar, there will be a further opportunity to marvel at this complex, but simple operation as almost 2,000 k/tonnes of high value steel is positioned from the ship and onto the quayside.
The arrival and commissioning of the new cranes represents the next steps of the latest “crane dance”, that started on March 12th: a complete version will also be available on-line in due course. Q2 will witness a comprehensive programme of engineering activity during a busy period of continued high demand, with all efforts targeted at minimizing the impact for valued customers.The complete timetable is:
- March 12th revamped 20 row crane moved into position on Fornelli East Berth
- March 19th existing 16 row crane moved from Fornelli West to Artom area for revamping
- March 24th arrival of m/v Tern on Fornelli West berth with 2 x 23 row new cranes
- Mid / Late April 1 x 23 row new crane will be moved from Fornelli West to East for final commissioning work
- Late April 1 x 23 row new crane will be moved from Fornelli West to East for final commissioning work during mid-May
- May 22nd 1 x 20 row crane will be transferred from Fornelli East to West
- June 2nd 1 x 20 row crane will be transferred from Fornelli East to West
- Mid June – East will have 2 x 23 row cranes & 3 x 20 row cranes, West will have 3 x 20 row cranes & 2 18 row cranes
- Mid Q3, the 16 row crane will be positioned back to West with recommissioning as a 20 row crane at the beginning of Q4
- Q4 – West will be completed with 4 x 20 row cranes & 1 x 18 row crane
- May, June, October will witness the transfer for currently surplus 3 x 18 row cranes to temporary out of service status, pending further deliverables on the development plan
Michele Giromini, Managing Director, enthuses: ”I reserve a special welcome to Capt. Alex Djomins and the crew of the m/v Tern, who have carried this special cargo for us on a long journey, that perhaps began when I signed the contract in November 2013 with Mr. Zanetti, our long term partner OMG MGM. The journey is not quite finished, but we are close. Once the combined team of LSCT and OMG MGM have thoroughly assessed the condition of the cranes after their voyage a further fine-tuning of the detail will take place.”
Paolo Mussi, Head of the Technical Department, LSCT adds: ”I dream of a holiday….soon! There is still much to be done during the coming months and a key focus of the plan is to ensure that the terminal keeps running to serve our valued customers, with the minimum of inconvenience. 5 cranes will be deployed on each berth at all times, however given the magnitude of the complete programme, there will be encroachment on available operational yard and berth space. But with close co-ordination with customers, my team, the operational and customer service teams and of course the weather, there is optimism that it can be managed….”
Michael Cashman, Commercial Director, Broström Tankers AB Service Unit concludes: “Co-ordination and communication have featured highly with customers for some considerable time. The availability from mid-June to deploy 20 row cranes on West will provide a positive boost in flexibility, certainly with ships of 10,000 TEUs and more, of which we have four weekly calls, two of which are in in the 14,000 TEUs range with the remaining two to upgrade. Other strings are also upgrading their capacities. Timing coincides with the traditional peak season, even if so far LSCT has experienced a surge in demand throughout 2015, so this development together with other aspects of the development plan can continue to support our valued customers and the La Spezia System itself should ensure that containers continue to flow. The terminal has undergone a transformation in equipment since the arrival of the first 14,000 TEUs ship, in 2012. From mid-June 2015 there will be two berths for these ships. Then during Q4, further improvements with the deployment of a forth 20 row crane will be available. Overall LSCT has spent / is spending €150 million .
Now for the next elements of the development plan. Watch this space!”
