Two new mobile harbor cranes arrived Jan. 16 at the Port of Brownsville. The Brownsville Navigation District ordered the Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 mobile harbor cranes in June 2019 to increase the port’s on-dock lifting capacity due to higher demands of cargo volumes.

“These cranes are one of the latest investments by the Port of Brownsville to meet the needs of our port tenants and growing list of clients,” said Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed. “The BND is committed to maintain and expand the infrastructure capabilities of the Port of Brownsville to keep the Rio Grande Valley competitive in the global market.”

The cranes will handle a variety of cargo including breakbulk, dry-bulk, heavy project cargo and steel products. Each crane has 28 wheels and 14 axels and stands at more than 150 feet at their highest height.

The Model 6 cranes contain an advanced mobile harbor crane drive technology from Konecranes. It meets EPA Tier 4f emission standards, helping the Port of Brownsville reduce its environmental footprint. The cranes also boast a powerful lifting curve with a maximum lifting capacity of 137.5 short tons. They have an outreach of up to 167 feet.

This brings the number of Konecranes at the Port of Brownsville to three. The newest pair will go into service almost immediately, following commissioning and a brief operator training period.