A NORTH-EAST port is preparing for a business lift, having signed a deal to buy a new harbour mobile crane. 

Port of Sunderland, operated by Sunderland City Council, has placed an order with international crane manufacturer Liebherr that will add a lucrative new dimension to the port’s materials handling capabilities.

The crane, which will arrive at the port during July, can travel from Corporation Quay round the port to Greenwells Quay, allowing it work on from river quaysides.  It has a lifting capability of 121 tonnes, more than double that of the port’s current crane. 

Councillor Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council and chair of the Port of Sunderland board, said the investment represented the port’s commitment to being on the front foot and would deliver a significant boost for its growing customer base.

He said: “This is a major investment for us, but one that we know will reap rewards.  The port’s current capabilities mean that, to cater for bigger projects, we need to hire in equipment at a significant cost per day. 

“Having the facility to manage these lifts our self is a huge boost – and one that will not only allow us to deliver better value to our customers, but that will allow us to more effectively tap into the subsea market, which often demands large structures to be lifted onto or off vessels.”

The crane will also be supplied with a container handling attachment and a number of bulk handling grabs that will enable it to provide support in to additional market sectors. 

It is a further step forward for the port, which has recorded its strongest trading performance in more than 20 years. 

The port purchased a £500,000 Liebherr crane last year, something that port director Matthew Hunt said is already paying for itself, having been used almost constantly since it arrived at the port in July 2012.

Mr Hunt said: “A year on from the purchase of the last crane, and we are delighted with the impact it has had on business.  The crane is used almost every single day, and means that we have the equipment and facilities to compete with other ports across the UK. 

“This new crane order will further strengthen our offer, and will give us the opportunity to compete for more materials handling work, something we could not do without this capital investment.  It is another major boost for us, and a visible sign of the commitment we have from the council to invest in the port, which we believe can once again be a major economic driver in the city.”

The crane is being produced at Liebherr’s facility in Rostock, Germany.

David Vaughan, sales manager at Liebherr, said “We are very pleased that Port of Sunderland has selected Liebherr as its supplier of a new harbour mobile crane. 

“These are very exciting times for both organisations and we look forward to developing our partnership for many years to come.”
   
The capital investment is another step forward for the port, which has seen its fortunes turn around since the launch of the city council’s masterplan, which identified it as one of the city’s unfilled assets.

Since the launch of the plan in October 2010, the port has seen investment that has helped it tap into the offshore, new and renewables and subsea engineering markets, as well as delivering more traditional maritime support.  The port has attracted a number of businesses, including Essex based engineering company, AJ Woods Engineering Ltd and Teesside based shipping agent, LV Shipping, which recently opened a sub-office at port.