Giving a lift
Massport’s 3 massive cranes will help make port ‘big ship ready’
A trio of some of the largest cranes in the world arrived at Conley Terminal on Tuesday where they will soon be put to work to keep Massport competitive in the shipping industry.
The cranes are part of an $850 million investment of state, federal and Massport dollars to upgrade the terminal and help Boston longshoremen load and unload the largest container ships around.
Massport CEO Lisa Wieland called the delivery a “significant milestone” for the future of the port and the 2,500 New England businesses served by Conley Terminal — the region’s only full-service container port.
“The Port being big ship ready comes at a critical time as the region’s economy recovers from the impacts of the pandemic,” Wieland said. “Massport’s investment in the future of Conley Terminal shows our commitment to support the New England importers and exporters that rely on the Port, as well as the thousands of workers across the Port.”
Built in Shanghai, China, by the manufacturer ZPMC, the Neo-Panamax cranes’ journey to Boston took
10 weeks, Massport said. Spokeswoman Jennifer Mehigan said the cranes won’t be operational until the fall as they undergo testing and inspection and staff are trained on the new equipment.
“That won’t be completed until the fall, and we are already having conversations with the shipping companies about the fall schedule,” Mehigan said.
The cranes — two 205 feet tall and one 145 feet tall — floated into the South Boston terminal on Tuesday. All are taller than the ones currently in service, Massport said. Each of the large cranes weighs 2,900 tons.
“The investments we’re making will significantly enhance our capabilities to handle more cargo and increase our productivity so that Conley can be competitive in the future and allow for continued growth,” said Massport Port Director Mike Meyran. “We want businesses to know that we are ‘Big Ship Ready,’ and we want to attract new direct services to expand the global offerings for our customers throughout New England.”
To ready the terminal for larger ships, improvements include dredging the harbor’s main shipping channel to a depth of 47 feet and enlarging the turning basin and berth, all slated for completion by sometime next year.