Posted on May 29, 2024
What are said to be the largest cranes to operate at a U.S. commercial port have arrived in Virginia.
Monday’s delivery from China marked the latest effort to accommodate the increasingly mammoth container ships that underpin international trade.
Shipping companies are using fewer but larger container ships to save on costs. And economists say an “arms race” is underway at ports along the Atlantic seaboard to make room for them.
Projects include dredging deeper channels in Georgia and South Carolina. Part of a bridge has been elevated to allow bigger ships to reach New York City-area ports.
The Chinese-made gantry cranes that arrived at the Port of Virginia stand about 170 feet (52 meters) tall. They’ll operate at a terminal in the city of Portsmouth.
