The Northwest Seaport Alliance is removing two aging ship-to-shore cranes from Terminal 7 in Tacoma, marking the end of an era on the waterfront.
The cranes, IHI 2078 (built in 1979) and Sumitomo 2403 (built in 1986), will be loaded intact onto a heavy-lift barge and towed from Commencement Bay to the Port of Bellingham for recycling. Removing the cranes whole avoids disruption to ongoing cargo operations at the busy terminal.
The move concludes a multi-year effort to retire equipment that has reached the end of its safe and useful life. In recent years, both cranes had become increasingly unreliable, with maintenance costs exceeding their operational value.
NWSA officials said the removal frees up valuable pier space, eliminates ongoing maintenance expenses, and allows the terminal to focus on future cargo activity and infrastructure improvements that will support long-term gateway growth and waterfront jobs.
