This week another ZPMC delivery vessel arrived in Charleston, this time with three STS cranes and four RTGs. Together with the two STS cranes that arrived the week before, SC Ports now has all five of the quay cranes for Phase I of its Leatherman terminal, which is scheduled to open in March 2021.

The new STS cranes have a lift height of 169 feet and an outreach of 228 feet, “enabling them to work the biggest container ships calling on the East Coast”, SC Ports said. In the yard, the ZPMC hybrid RTGs can handle containers stacked six high, which is one higher than SC Port’s other terminals.

“The arrival of cargo-handling equipment at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal is a big moment for SC Ports,” SC Ports COO Barbara Melvin said. “These state-of-the-art ship-to-shore-cranes will work some of the largest container ships on the East Coast when we launch operations at the Leatherman Terminal in March, while our hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes will also ensure efficient operations for our customers.”

The vessel docked at Columbus Street Terminal for two days so the cranes could have their upper assembly lowered to fit under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge before traveling up the Cooper River to the Leatherman Terminal. All the cranes will be erected, commissioned and tested by ZPMC USA.

“The Leatherman Terminal is designed to handle 19,000-TEU vessels, which sets South Carolina up to handle more cargo and remain globally competitive,” SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “We have invested more than $2 billion in our infrastructure to ensure we have ample capacity and big-ship capabilities to serve our customers for decades to come. The opening of the Leatherman Terminal is a crucial part of our infrastructure investments. Tomorrow is here.”

There are still another 21 RTGs to be delivered to the site. When fully equipped Phase One of the Leatherman Terminal will have a 1,400-foot wharf, five STS cranes and 25 RTGs serving  a 47-acre container yard. This will add 700,000 TEU of annual capacity to the Port of Charleston. At full build out Leatherman will be a 2.4M TEU facility.