Two ship-to-shore (STS) super post panamax (SPP) and two electric rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes arrived on board the Zhen Hua 24 after a journey of almost 19,000 kilometers from China to the port of San Antonio in Chile.
The new equipment will enhance San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI) capabilities and increase its box capacity to 1.6 million TEUs. This US$23.5 million investment in new machines will make STI the only terminal in the country with the capability to handle two SPP vessels at the same time.
Rodrigo Galleguillos, STI’s chief executive officer, stated “We have designed a detailed plan to receive and implement this new equipment, which will allow us to continue improving our efficiency in serving foreign trade. We are already planning unloading and installation: we will be the only terminal in Chile capable of simultaneously handling two Super Post Panamax vessels (366 m long and 51 m wide).”
Additionally, two of the outdated facilities that have been in use since 1997 will be demolished as part of the terminal’s renovation project.
Chilean operator SAAM, which manages STI, said that scrap metal will be repurposed, therefore there is no environmental harm from scrapping.
SAAM added that about 20 minutes will be needed for the process of disassembling, while given the size of the activity, a loud noise may be audible during this period close to the terminal.
To update its assets and renew the terminal’s concession until 2030, STI has announced an investment of US$66 million.
