DP World London Gateway Port welcomed yesterday two new quayside cranes. At their highest point, they stand at 138 meters tall - the same height as the London Eye.

The cranes completed the long-sea voyage from China via the Cope of Good Hope to arrive at London Gateway.

They came on a specialized ship, the 1981-built Zhen Hua 10.

The cranes are intended for Gateway’s third berth scheduled for opening in the second half of 2016.

Once the third berth is opened, DP World London Gateway will have 1,250 meters of quay wall, providing three deep-water berths and additional ultra-large container vessel capacity.

Another two cranes for the third berth are due to arrive in London next week, moving development of the terminal’s berth onto the next stage, DP World said.

The cranes weigh 2,000 tons and were unloaded from the vessel onto quay using pulleys and winches at high tide. The process of moving these mega-structures onto the quay took 45 minutes.

“In addition to the eight already in operation here, the arrival of these quay cranes and further investment in supplementary infrastructure such as our fully automated truck handling capability, ensures that the UK is able to efficiently and reliably handle the largest container ships afloat,” Cameron Thorpe, CEO of DP World London Gateway, said.

Image Courtesy: Port of London Authority; DP World London Gateway Port