North Carolina Ports Welcomes Third Neo-Panamax Crane

North Carolina Ports’ third neo-Panamax crane arrived to the Port of Wilmington on Monday morning. The Zhen Hua 25 arrived to the port following a three-month journey from Shanghai, China.

The new crane is identical to the previous two neo-Panamax cranes North Carolina Ports received in March 2018. The addition of the cranes enables the Port of Wilmington to operate 14,000 TEU vessels – the largest ships currently calling the United States East Coast. The installation process is scheduled to take two months.

“The arrival of the third neo-Panamax crane is a continuation of a massive infrastructure improvements plan NC Ports has in place to enhance the terminal in Wilmington,” said Brian E. Clark, North Carolina Ports Chief Operating Officer. “The advancements we’re making with our cranes, container terminal and gate complex are paving the way for monumental growth at the Port of Wilmington and allowing us to efficiently accommodate our growing customer base.”

North Carolina Ports’ $200 million capital improvements plan includes a wider turning basin, berth enhancements, the new neo-Panamax cranes and an overhaul of Wilmington’s container terminal. The terminal renovations will double the port’s annual throughput capacity to 1.2 million TEUs and triple its refrigerated container capacity to 1,000 plugs.

The three neo-Panamax cranes were purchased for $33.8 million and manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC). ZPMC is the world’s largest heavy duty equipment manufacturer of port equipment. There are currently no domestic manufacturers of ship-to-shore container cranes.