Supply chain crisis hits equipment deliveries

The global container market grew by 1.5% to 173.5 million TEU in 2023, but without COVID-19, it would have reached 198.1 million TEU.

The Port of Salalah has taken delivery of the first four cranes in a series of 10 super-post panamax STS cranes being manufactured by ZPMC. The remaining cranes will arrive at Oman’s largest container port in Q2 2024 with all units fully commissioned in the third quarter of the year.

As part of an Executive Order aimed at strengthening maritime cyber-security, the Biden Administration plans to invest over US$20B over the next five years in port infrastructure including funds for recreating the domestic port crane industry

Kalmar, which is part of Finland’s Cargotec group is to supply Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam with two fully electric and eight hybrid straddle carriers. The machines will be used in the company’s ECT Delta terminal and be delivered by the end of this year.

The Biden administration has announced four key actions designed to strengthen maritime cybersecurity and support domestic crane production. These will make it harder for ZPMC to build and deliver cranes to the US market, pushing up crane prices in the process.

Kalmar has announced its second order in a matter of days to supply container handling equipment to terminal operators working facilities on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean.