International Container Terminal Services Inc. said on Tuesday it acquired two mobile cranes for its new container terminal in Congo.
The port operator owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. said Matadi Gateway Terminal received the first of two mobile cranes schedules to go into service at the terminal.
The MGT is a joint venture company between ICTSI, the Ledya Group and SCTP SA.
“This new unit is a game changer. It is the first unit of its kind in Matadi and will deliver high performance and faster vessel turnaround times. With the arrival of the second unit, MGT will also be able to give reliable service to larger gearless vessels,” MGT chief executive Tim Vancampen said.
The Terex Model 5 crane is the largest member of the medium-sized crane family available from Terex Port Solutions and was delivered fully erect on-board the m/v BBC ODER which commenced its voyage from Antwerp, Belgium.
Other key equipment to be deployed at the terminal includes reach stackers and front loaders as well as Navis N4 for efficient management of vessel loading/unloading and terminal operations.
The ICTSI DR Congo Terminal initially commence operations in August with one berth. Full delivery of Phase One, incorporating a second berth and total quay line of 350m will be by November 2016.
Container handling capacity will be 175,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit per year with a nine hectare terminal area incorporating a yard area of six hectares. Depth alongside the quay will be 12m at all times, offering the ability to serve Panamax, Handymax and Wafmax vessels.
Based on demand, ICTSI also has the option to immediately implement a Phase Two development providing an additional 350m of quay line and supporting yard area.
ICTSI earlier reported a net income of $92.6 million in January to June, lower than $105.7 million in the same period last year.
ICTSI attributed the drop in net income to unfavorable volume mix, lower non-containerized and storage revenues, lower capitalized borrowing costs and higher depreciation and amortization expenses related to Tecplata S.A., the company’s new terminal in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Gross revenues from port operations reached $550.8 million in the first half, compared with $552.1 million reported in the same period last year.
ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 4,264,633 twenty-foot equivalent units in the first six months, up 10 percent from 3,888,130 TEUs handled in the same period in 2015.