APM Terminals will increase its investment in its Port Elizabeth facility in New Jersey from US$70 million to a total of US$200 million.

According to APM, the investment includes four ship-to-shore cranes that will be capable of handling ultra-large container ships, an expanded gate complex, upgrades to container-handling equipment and other operational improvements.

“We are connecting people, lifting global trade and addressing liner trends to make the port even better for the future,” said Wim Lagaay, president of APM Terminals North America. “Our goal is to make APM Terminals Port Elizabeth safer, easier to use and faster for our trucker community, more productive for our shipping line clients and more reliable for our clients’ supply chains expectations. These operational and infrastructure improvements are designed to keep APM Terminals Port Elizabeth at the forefront of the New York/New Jersey harbour by being the container terminal of choice to work with by our many clients and partners. These terminal enhancements would not be possible without the essential work the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has done to deepen the harbour and heighten the Bayonne Bridge to ensure future success and growth of the port.”

The Bayonne Bridge connects New Jersey with Staten Island and was built in 1932. It will be raised from a height of 46m to 65.5m, allowing larger vessels to enter Newark Bay.

The Port Elizabeth facility will be able to accommodate three ultra-large container vessels simultaneously and its capacity will increase from 1.5 million TEUs to 2.3 million TEUs a year, according to APM.