MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured an order from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co Ltd, in China, for 16 variable frequency drive (VFD) electric cranes. They have been specified for four 3,900 TEU container vessels being constructed for Singapore based Pacific International Lines (PIL). The order was booked to the fourth quarter 2012 order intake. Delivery of the first ship set is planned for the end of October 2013; the other three are scheduled for delivery during the first half of 2014.

“MacGregor electric cranes are the ideal choice for these new ships,” says Jonas Hägglund, Sales Manager, MacGregor Cranes. “In comparison to hydraulic equivalents, our VFD cranes offer 30-35 per cent less power consumption, which results in lower running costs and lower environmental impact. Furthermore, MacGregor electric cranes offer an excellent positioning performance of containers and cargo which will shorten the loading/unloading time. They also feature low noise levels, making them an excellent choice in environmentally sensitive areas.
 “Each MacGregor crane unit is tested electrically and mechanically before delivery, which simplifies installation for the shipbuilder,” adds Mr Hägglund.

Each four-crane ship set comprises three GLE4827/MLC/2744-2 cranes, each with an SWL of 48 tonnes at 27 meters outreach down to SWL 27 tons at 44 meters outreach following a maximum load curve and one GLE3528.5-2 crane with an SWL of 35 tonnes and an outreach of 28.5m.