The MV United Heavy Lift Fresh berthed at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 1 last week to deliver the first nine of 16 Liebherr rubber-tyred gantry crane (RTG) components.
According to Durban Terminals, the cranes form part of the terminal’s fleet replacement strategy to improve reliability and efficiency of port equipment.
The assembly of the nine RTGs will take place on-site, with handover to operations planned for May next year.
“The delivery of these RTG components is a key milestone that will significantly improve DCT Pier 1’s ability and help the terminal meet service delivery expectations,” Durban Terminals Managing Executive, Earle Peters, said.
The final batch of seven RTG components will arrive in March 2026, with full deployment set for August 2026.
Rubber-tyred gantry cranes are necessary for DCT Pier 1 operations as they enable the efficient movement and stacking of containers, both for inbound deliveries to the terminal and outbound shipments for loading on to vessels.
As part of a strategy to enhance operational performance across its terminals, Transnet Port Terminals has invested more than R744 million for the procurement of the 16 RTGs and another R1,4bn for the procurement of 28 RTGs for the Cape Town Container Terminal.
