Local seaport receives two additional cranes in response to growth

As cargo continues to grow, SeaPort Manatee is working to keep up with those demands. This time in the form of two eco-efficient cranes. 

The port, along with the terminal operator Logistec USA Inc., a Logistec Corp. subsidiary, added two mobile harbor cranes, which arrived April 22. Each crane is able to lift 125 metric tons and together have a lift capacity of more than 200 metric tons. 

“As SeaPort Manatee continues to grow, with all-time-high levels of cargo activity, the arrival of these cranes, along with such infrastructure enhancements as expansion of dockside container yard facilities, heralds a new era for Manatee County’s hub of global commerce,” says Carlos Buqueras, SeaPort Manatee’s executive director, in a news release. 

Logistec’s terminal at SeaPort Manatee mainly handles containers, pallets, steel and breakbulk cargo. The company has been at the port for 20 years.

“These mobile cranes will allow us to significantly increase our cargo-handling efficiencies at SeaPort Manatee, in support of our customers, the local economy and the global supply chain,” says Rodney Corrigan, the president of Logistec USA Inc., in the release. “By investing in eco-efficient equipment, we are further solidifying our commitment to key sustainability goals to protect the environment, reduce our marine carbon footprint and contribute to cleaner air for future generations.”

In the first half of this fiscal year, which ended March 31, the port handled 660,847 short tons of containerized cargo, marking a new all-time high. The news came on the heels of a recorded uptick of 53.3% in 20-foot-equivalent units of containerized cargo in the previous fiscal year. In response to the growth, the port has been making some improvements like the $13.1 million dockside container yard project, which is expected to more than double the container yard to 23.5 acres.