New giant cranes for the port arrive in Vancouver harbour (PHOTOS)

Sep 11 2021, 12:13 am

The vessel Zhen Hua finally passed under the Lions Gate Bridge today to reach Vancouver harbour after arriving in Burrard Inlet on September 4.

It is carrying two new ship-to-shore gantry cranes for the Port of Vancouver’s Centerm container terminal, located just east of downtown Vancouver.

This is a special semi-submersible heavy lift ship designed to carry large cargo, including other vessels and even offshore rigs.

Centerm, operated by DP World, is currently in the process of undergoing a major overhaul to increase its container processing capacity and operational efficiencies.

Several old cranes previously used at Centerm were relocated to Nanaimo for reuse at the Duke Point Deep-Sea terminal.

Like Centerm’s existing cranes, the new cranes retain their distinct red colour, as highly visible landmarks in the skyline.

In November 2020, Vanterm — located east of Centerm — also received a special shipment of new replacement ship-to-shore cranes. But its operator, GCT, opted to replace their ageing red cranes with new models that have a “cloud white” colour to “visually mitigate daytime skyline visibility.”

gct vanterm new cranes

GCT Vanterm’s new cranes arrive in Vancouver harbour on November 27, 2020. (Kyle Surovy)

Centerm’s expansion and upgrade carries a $320 million construction cost, including a seven-acre westward extension of the terminal footprint for a larger and reconfigured container and intermodal yard, an infill of the old Ballantyne pier terminal for more container processing space, and major road connection improvements, specifically the recent completion and opening of the 600-metre-long Centennial Road overpass viaduct.

zhen hua centerm port of vancouver cranes

Semi-submersible vessel Zhen Hua arrived in Vancouver harbour on September 10, 2021, carrying new gantry cranes for the Port of Vancouver’s Centerm terminal. (Daily Hive)

zhen hua centerm port of vancouver cranes

Semi-submersible vessel Zhen Hua arrived in Vancouver harbour on September 10, 2021, carrying new gantry cranes for the Port of Vancouver’s Centerm terminal. (Daily Hive)

When the Centerm project is fully complete in 2022, the terminal’s container capacity will increase by 66%, from 900,000 TEUs to 1.5 million TEUs.

The expansion will allow Centerm to better meet the long-term trajectory growth in shipping demand and the years-long global backlog due to COVID-19.

Centerm currently processes about 20% of the region’s ship container traffic.

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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