Gottwald Port Technology GmbH, a pioneer in innovative solutions based on Mobile Harbour Crane technology, proven 1,000 times over around the world, announces continuing success in the Floating Crane sector. Following the market launch and first order in 2004, sales of Gottwald’s Floating Cranes have grown at a steady pace, with two units in 2005, four in 2006 and already three units sold so far in 2007 – bringing the total number of Floating Cranes sold to date to 10. Of these, four units are Generation 5 cranes, including two cranes each of the Models 7 and 8.

“These figures reflect our success in conquering new and untapped markets, in winning new and keeping existing customers and are confirmation of our capability of adapting Mobile Harbour Crane technology to individual needs,” says Dr. Mathias Dobner, Gottwald’s CEO. Adding the 33 Portal Harbour Cranes that are equipped with the same proven Mobile Harbour Crane technology from the slew gear up, the total number of Gottwald cranes derived from the Mobile Harbour Crane comes to 43, the majority of which are 4-rope grab variants for professional bulk handling. “We have backed the right horse when combining the proven Mobile Harbour Crane technology first with portals and later with a barge. Thanks to this Gottwald is always a step ahead,” says Dobner. “Last but not least the figures confirm the popularity of our Generation 5 launched to the market in 2006.”

Order Overview – One Idea With Many Fields of Applications

Gottwald Floating Cranes, available as Harbour Pontoon Cranes or as Portal Harbour Cranes on barge are precisely tailored to individual requirements, based on crane models manufactured according to a uniform design principle combined with customized barges and portals. They are deployed in mid-stream operation in ports and sheltered waters, on rivers and in coastal waters and even on the open sea; for ship-to-ship as well as ship-to-shore handling; for import and export related operations – a smart solution with many fields of applications, as illustrated by the ten cranes commissioned or ordered to date.

Strong Presence in the US

One of Gottwald’s most recent orders, reflecting not only the strong reputation of Gottwald’s cranes but also the strong customers’ loyalty, came from St. James Stevedoring Co., L.L.C. (St. James), with which Gottwald developed the first floating crane in 2004. This specialist midstream operator on the lower Mississippi will augment its fleet for transloading imported bulk materials such as fertilizers and coal from sea-going vessels to barges with a third HPK 330 EG. The crane is scheduled to go into service before the end of the year. “We went with Gottwald because we have established an excellent mutual beneficial relationship. Gottwald is first choice, in terms of quality and service,” says Paul E. Morton, President of St. James, and he explains why the company has chosen a Generation 4 crane: “We are sure that Gottwald’s Generation 5 cranes are excellent. However, we already have two HPK 330 EG cranes in place, our experience has been extremely positive and we want to operate a homogenous fleet. A major consideration was the interchangeability of spare parts.”

Adding the HPK 330 EG crane operated by Associated Terminals for their bulk import operations since the end of 2006, Gottwald Floating Cranes used in mid-stream operation on the lower Mississippi now number four. Two HSK 330 EG Portal Harbour Cranes on barge operated since June 2006 by the Kinder Morgan Shipyard Terminal in Charleston for transloading imported coal mid-stream or from ship-to-quay bring the number of Gottwald Floating Cranes in the US to six.

New Markets Around the World

Beside this strong presence in the US, Gottwald’s Floating Cranes are attracting terminal operators around the world. The first Floating Crane order from Brazil has recently been placed by MMX Mineracao e Metálicos S.A. in the Port of Belem, a new customer to Gottwald. The two G HPK 7400 B cranes with a 50-tonnes grab curve will be deployed mid-stream in the port area of Belem and transload iron ore destined for export. Delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2007.

Direct transloading of imported coal from sea-going vessels to barges in the waters beyond the locks or mid-stream in the harbour basin and ship-to-quay handling are the tasks of the G HPK 8200 B that went into service in July 2006 at Rietlanden Stevedores in the Port of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Another G HPK 8200 B, ordered by PT Puteri Borneo Company in 2006, was meanwhile assembled and is currently on the way to its final place of employment. This Model 8 crane will be used for open-sea transhipment of export coal from barges to ocean-going vessels about 35 km off the coast of the Indonesian Kalimantan region, thus demonstrating the suitability of Gottwald Floating Cranes for open-sea operation.

Though, up to now, all Gottwald Floating Cranes have been intended for professional bulk handling, they are, of course, also suitable for container and general cargo handling. “Thanks to their autonomy, low specific investment costs and short delivery lead times, there is a multitude of possibilities opening up, especially when thinking of high quay costs or high costs for appropriate quay infrastructures,” says Dobner.