Eurogate orders 48 Kalmar straddle carriers

European container terminal operator Eurogate has ordered 48 EDRIVE straddle carriers from Kalmar Industries for three of its facilities in Germany.

Twenty-two units have been ordered for Eurogate Container Terminal Bremerhaven, while 13 will go to Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg. Another 13 will be deployed at the MSC Gate Bremerhaven terminal, a joint venture between Eurogate and Mediterranean Shipping Co.

The seventh-generation, four-high straddle carriers will have a lift capacity of 40 tons and feature new technology designed to meet stricter German port emissions and noise regulations.

Kalmar, part of Finland's part of Cargotec Corp., will start delivery of the units to the Eurogate terminals in the fall of this year with the last of them arriving at the beginning of 2009.

Eurogate said last week it plans to invest more than $1.7 billion (1.1 billion euros) in the coming years to accommodate growing cargo volumes and larger 10,000-TEU ships. In 2007, the company's throughput increased 10.6 percent year on year to 13.9 million TEUs. 

Source: American Shipper