The Broward County Board of County Commissioners has given its approval for Port Everglades to order three Super Post-Panamax container-handling gantry cranes at US$13.8 million each.

The port also has an option to purchase an additional three cranes within five years of placing the order for the first three.

“Cargo ships are getting larger and several shipping lines already coming to Port Everglades from Europe and South America need Super Post-Panamax cranes now,” said Steve Cernak, chief executive and port director of Port Everglades. “The longer we wait, the higher the price, in addition to increasing our chances of losing important business. We cannot afford to wait until our harbour-deepening and widening project is completed because the cranes are needed now.”

The three new cranes will be constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Inc. and will be capable of handling containers stacked eight units high and reaching across 22 units on a ship.

The existing seven gantry cranes in the Southport area are limited to handling containers stacked five units high and can only reach out across 16 units, according to Port Everglades.