By Steve Agbota
As completion of the Lekki Deep Sea Port draws closer, the management of Port said it is set to take delivery of three new-generation Ship to Shore (STS) Cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries (RTG) from Shanghai, China ahead of the start of port operations. The Ship to Shore (STS) cranes will be able to service the largest container vessels currently sailing the oceans, which can carry more than 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
The specifications of the STS cranes include a fixed rail line at the quayside to access vessels and reduce delays moving from bay to bay. These cranes have a lifting capacity of 65 tons in twin-lift mode, 50tons in single lift mode, and 85tons under the hook beam. They can reach out from the quayside up to 61 metres and have an air draft of 52 metres and a span of 30.5 metres beneath the crane.
According to Mr Du Ruogang, Managing Director, Lekki Port, the equipment which left Shanghai on May 17, 2022, en route to Lekki Port, Lagos, Nigeria, will be the most sophisticated port equipment ever yet to be used in Nigeria and will completely change the port landscape, putting Nigeria at the forefront of container operations in West Africa.
Ruogang asserted that Lekki Port would become a catalyst and an economic enabler for Nigeria with this development. He added that the equipment would make Lekki Port operations fast, efficient and seamless.
The Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port, Mr Laurence Smith, stated that an STS Crane generates 300 lux of light, making the surrounding environment seem like daylight so that the stevedores can work safely at night.
He explained further that a personnel elevator is installed for the operators’ comfort and safety. He further revealed that the cabin is fitted with an ergonomic seat so that the operators can find the most optimal comfortable position for themselves. Cameras are strategically equipped around the cranes to assist the operators with different angles to support the operation.