Posted on July 22, 2026
PD Ports has strengthened cargo-handling capacity at the Port of Hartlepool with the arrival of a new 390-tonne Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbour crane.
The ESP.6 unit has a maximum lifting capacity of 125 tonnes and a working radius of up to 49 metres, expanding the port’s ability to handle bulk, breakbulk, offshore energy components and specialist project cargo.
The crane was assembled and tested in Antwerp before being delivered to Hartlepool, where it will operate alongside the port’s existing Sennebogen 875M materials handler.
PD Ports said the investment was intended to give the facility greater flexibility as customer requirements and cargo profiles change.
Hartlepool has increasingly positioned itself as a multipurpose gateway serving the offshore renewables, manufacturing, chemicals, metals and bulk cargo sectors. Its lock-free access to the North Sea provides an operational advantage for oversized and time-sensitive cargoes.
The equipment investment should also improve Hartlepool’s ability to compete for offshore wind and other energy-related work moving through the northeast of England.
Ports across the region are investing in heavier and more versatile handling equipment as the scale of wind turbine components and industrial project cargo continues to increase.
For Hartlepool, the new crane provides additional capacity without requiring a major terminal redevelopment, allowing the port to target a broader cargo mix and respond more quickly to new project opportunities.
