Port Tampa Bay buys two cranes, part of expansion investment

Port Tampa Bay announced Wednesday the purchase of two new cranes — key components in the port’s efforts to expand its container terminal to 100 acres. 

Port officials signed a contract with Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. for two ship-to-shore cranes that will allow the port to efficiently handle larger, wider-beam vessels. This is the first time Liebherr has installed ship-to-shore (STS) cranes on Florida’s Gulf Coast, a release states. 

The two cranes represent a $36 million investment, funded without grants, and tie into the port's ongoing Vision 2030 expansion project.

“These STS cranes from Liebherr are a critical component of our Vision 2030 plan and will significantly strengthen our ability to serve Florida’s rapidly expanding growth along the I-4 corridor,” Paul Anderson, President & CEO of Port Tampa Bay, says in the release. “Their advanced technology and performance features will enhance berth productivity, reduce vessel turn times, and support future operational goals.  This compliments our long-term growth plans with our strategic partner Ports America”

Manufactured at Liebherr’s facility in Killarney, Ireland, each crane has a 197-foot outreach, 164 foot lift height, 66 foot back reach and 145,600 pound twin-lift capacity, the release says. The cranes are also outfitted with advanced safety and performance systems that ensure operational stability, including anti-collision, anti-sway, snag-load protection and a curve-going gantry system.

Each crane is also equipped with Liebherr’s remote diagnostics platform, which includes predictive maintenance capabilities and ship-profiling technology, the release says. These programs help reduce unplanned downtime, optimize cycle items and maintain consistency in operations.

The cranes incorporate energy-efficient drives, regenerative power systems and optimized operational controls that reduce emissions — one of Port Tampa Bay’s key sustainability objectives.

“We are proud to partner with Port Tampa Bay as it advances a major phase of its Vision 2030 container expansion,” Winston Ziegler, Head of Sales Maritime Cranes, Liebherr USA, Co., says in the release. 

The addition of the two cranes is a major milestone in Port Tampa Bay’s efforts to expand its container terminal to 100 acres. The extended terminal will also include a new paved storage area, a third deep-water berth and an on-dock, rail-served transload facility. 

The expansion and crane acquisition are part of the port’s larger, long-term goal of achieving 1 million TEUs of annual capacity, the release says. A standard, 20 foot long shipping container is one TEU, or twenty-foot equivalent unit, of cargo capacity while a 40 foot long container is two TEUs. 

In the 2028 fiscal year, the port is expected to begin an estimated $1.5 billion effort to deepen and widen its shipping channels, the release says, allowing larger ships to access Tampa’s docks. 

Port Tampa Bay is the largest port in Florida by both cargo tonnage and land area, according to its website.