The Port of Virginia is adding four new low-profile ship-to-shore cranes to the northern portion of Norfolk International Terminals this summer that more easily comply with the Navy’s airspace restrictions in the area as part of the port’s ongoing renovations.
The new cranes, made by ZPMC, stand 245 feet tall. That’s just over half the height of the latest models of the traditional boom-up cranes that make up the rest across the port, and have the same lift height and reach capabilities, according to port spokesperson Joe Harris.
The new cranes are the largest and heaviest low-profile cranes in the world, Harris said in an email. Despite their weight — about twice that of the boom-up cranes — they can move from fully-retracted to fully-extended in about 3 minutes compared with the 5-6 minutes it takes for the boom-up cranes to move fully up and down, according to Harris. The low-profile cranes have roughly the same hoist, trolley, and gantry speeds as traditional cranes…