Reading the international press one hardly if ever finds mention of some export success traceable to Malta. A case in point is the manufacture and exporting of cranes. For example south American Colombian terminal operator Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena (SPRC) has placed a major order for container handling equipment with another EU member country, Finland’s Cargotec.

The deal, worth around €40 million, includes two Kalmar ship-to-shore gantry cranes and 24 RTG cranes, with delivery set to be concluded in the second quarter of 2012.

Cargotec said that Columbia's SPRC’s commitment to the environment is evident as the STS and RTG cranes feature optimised hoisting speeds that require minimal energy consumption. The 24 Kalmar E-One2 Zero Emission RTG cranes will receive electrical energy from an automated busbar connection.

These new cranes are part of a wider investment in equipment for added capacity that will see the port of Cartagena expand to accommodate an annual throughput of 4.5 million TEUs.

Cargotec said that the agreement marks the first order for Kalmar STS cranes and Kalmar Zero Emission E-One2 RTGs it has recieved from South America.

“Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena is a leading South American terminal operator currently operating with one of the largest Kalmar RTG fleets globally,” said Dan House, Cargotec managing director for Latin America.

“This provided further reassurance that Cargotec would deliver the same high level of performance and technology with its Kalmar STS cranes. The order is a great milestone for Cargotec’s growing business in South America,” said Dan House, Cargotec managing director for Latin America.

Guze Bonett

Marsalforn