Chile's Puerto Coronel Invests in Two New Cranes

Chile's Puerto Coronel has confirmed an agreement with China's ZPMC to acquire two new container gantry cranes.

The $30 million development project at the port will enable it to service post-Panamax ships, allowing the port, the main port operator in the south-central region, to go from an average of 85 container movements per hour to about 120. The cranes have a range of 65 meters (23 containers,) a load capacity under spreader of 65 tons and load under hook of 75 tons, and a load height on rails of 50 meters.

"The infrastructure we have today is sufficient for current and short-term demand. But we are committed to growing with a vision for the future and being prepared for the transformations in the shipping market, and the best prospects of foreign trade," said the company's CEO Javier Anwandter.

Puerto Coronel is located in the second urban and industrial center of the country, 500 kilometers south of the national capital, Santiago. In 2017, the Port handled 6.97 million tons of cargo, mainly forestry and fishing products, the productive base of the region. 

The Port estimates it will increase cargo handling by eight percent this year, reaching 7.4 million tons and ranking it third behind the terminals of the central zone of the country, San Antonio and Valparaiso.