Ports of Auckland has moved two 1,100-tonne cranes at its Fergusson Container Terminal to prepare for the arrival of bigger vessels.

According to the port, the two older, smaller cranes were lifted off their rails so that the terminal’s three newer, larger cranes could be placed at the northern end, where they will be able to handle larger ships.

“We run a very busy terminal, so getting this job done quickly and with minimum disruption to shipping was essential,” said Tony Gibson, CEO of Ports of Auckland. “It’s a bit like doing knee surgery at half-time and then getting your player back on the field for the second half.”

Partial automation of the Fergusson terminal will allow the port to handle up to 1.7 million TEUs every year without reclamation.

“More people in Auckland means more imports and more shipping,” said Gibson. “This work is one part of our investment in the automation of our container terminal which will meet that growing demand. This phase of automation gives us enough capacity to handle the freight for an extra million people in Auckland – 30 to 40 years of capacity.”