Two Gottwald HSK 360 EG Cranes for ABP's New Humber

International Terminal to Handle Growing Coal Volumes

Düsseldorf (Germany), 14 September 2004 – Gottwald Port Technology, the world's leading supplier of Mobile Harbour Cranes and pace setter in Portal Harbour Cranes, has received an order from the UK’s number one port operator, Associated British Ports (ABP) for two HSK 360 EG four-rope grab Portal Harbour Cranes for a new specialist coal-handling facility at the Port of Immingham, UK.

Located on the south bank of the Humber, close to main industrial centres such as Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, Immingham is the busiest port in the UK in terms of tonnage handled.

Commenting on the new order, Gottwald's Sales Director Giuseppe Di Lisa said: "This important crane delivery to Immingham reinforces the company’s already strong position in the coal handling market on the one hand, and on the other hand strengthens the close business working relationship with our major customer ABP."

Gottwald Cranes to Boost Coal Handling at Port of Immingham

The two new HSK 360 EG cranes from Gottwald are part of ABP's largest-ever investment in a terminal development: the £44.5 extension of the Humber International Terminal at the Port of Immingham with the creation of a new coal-handling facility and the construction of a second deep-water berth, to serve the UK's electricity-generating industry.

Against the backdrop of the continuing strong demand for imported coal, which accounts for about one third of the UK's energy requirements (52 million tonnes of imported coal were used for power generation in 2003), ABP will build a new coal terminal to alleviate the existing capacity shortage for imported coal. The new facility represents a major extension of the existing multi-purpose deep-water riverside terminal Humber International Terminal and will be capable of handling 7.5 million tonnes of coal each year. New term agreements have been signed with BHP Billiton, Drax Power and EDF Energy. Construction work has commenced and the new terminal, which will be connected to the UK's rail network, is expected to handle its first shipment of imported coal by mid-2006.

Humber International Terminal – one of the most important port developments in recent years – became operational in June 2000 and predominantly handles coal. A new rail terminal became operational in August 2002 giving the port significantly more rail capacity, feeding trains direct to the local power plants and industrial enterprises. In addition, a wide range of other cargoes including minerals and ores, agri-bulks and general cargo are handled at the terminal.

Gottwald – Supplier of Dedicated Solutions for the Coal Handling Market

Nick Palmer, Port Director ABP Grimsby & Immingham, explains why ABP chose Gottwald cranes for the new deep-water terminal: “This investment is an investment in the future of the port’s coal business. The two new HSK 360 EG cranes from Gottwald will make an important contribution to the reliable and uninterrupted supply of power generators with coal. Our excellent experience with our existing nine Gottwald cranes has encouraged us to rely on the same technology for the terminal extension again." In addition, as part of the preliminary procurement process for the second phase of Humber International Terminal, a group from Grimsby and Immingham had travelled to the Chinese Port of Qinhuangdao to assess the suitability of Gottwald HSK 360 EGL cranes which are used there to handle iron ore. The specialists from ABP were able to spend time operating the controls and examine the latest design features. Nick Palmer said: "The high-quality equipment that will be provided by this latest order will enable us to continue to operate a first-class terminal for the benefit of our customers."

The new deep-water terminal's handling capacities will be strengthened by two

HSK 360 EG Portal Harbour Cranes for professional bulk handling – the biggest and most powerful HSK cranes ever built by Gottwald. The two new cranes, due for delivery in April and June 2005, have a lifting capacity of 50 tonnes at 40 metres. With handling rates of up to 1,500 tph, the cranes will feed a conveyor system which will transport the coal to the stocking ground where a stacker reclaimer will handle the coal.

Giuseppe Di Lisa: "With the new HSK 360 EG Mobile Harbour Cranes being delivered to ABP Immingham, UK, Gottwald Port Technology has gained an important reference order and will further strengthen its reputation as an acknowledged provider of dedicated coal handling equipment." For a long time now, Gottwald cranes have occupied a strong position in the bulk handling industry.

Gottwald's four-rope grab cranes with a higher classification in conjunction with a mechanical grab allow for an increase in tonnage shifted and are ideally suited to the tough working conditions of uninterrupted bulk handling and thus offer an attractive alternative to purpose-built equipment. Some 100 four-rope grab cranes are in use worldwide, many of them in the coal handling industries. Antwerp Bulk Terminal (ABT) and CBM in Ghent, both members of the Sea-Invest Group, for example, rely on HMK 360 EG Mobile Harbour Cranes to discharge coal and other bulk material with a capacity of up to 1,500 tph.

Customer Port Autonome de Bordeaux in France operates three HSK 260 EG Portal Harbour Cranes to handle coal, ore and fertilisers with handling rates of 800 tph each. In Brazil, an HMK 330 EG is in operation in the Port of Imbituba for coal handling at an average handling rate of 800 tph. Di Lisa: "This broad scope of examples shows how innovations in harbour cranes are benefiting ports. By offering customised solutions and specialities, such as the HSK Portal Harbour Crane series that combines the proven technologies of the HMK Mobile Harbour Cranes with a rail-mounted portal and is ideally suited for narrow quays fitted with rails, Gottwald is gaining market share in special markets such as coal handling. We can look forward to the future with great optimism."

Many customers in the coal handling business do vote for the HSK cranes. So did ABP in case of the recent order. Thanks to the two new HSK 360 EG cranes for ABP, the total number of HSK cranes in operation or on order worldwide will now come up to 22 units. With the exception of one two-rope unit all HSK are four-rope grab units. The Portal Harbour Crane series started in 1998 and in the meantime comprises a complete range form the HSK 170 EG to the HSK 360 EG.

Gottwald and ABP – Strong Equipment and Strong Partners

"The recent order from ABP is all the more pleasing, since ABP is one of Gottwald's major customers," said Mark Reardon, Regional Director Gottwald UK. "Over the past five years Gottwald and ABP Grimsby & Immingham have formed a close working relationship and the reliability and performance of the existing cranes, together with our product support, have secured this extremely significant order for the UK market."

With the two new HSK 360 EG cranes, plus the one HMK 330 EG being commissioned, ABP Grimsby & Immingham will operate a total of 12 Gottwald cranes, including four different crane types. Three 100 t HMK 280 EG cranes are operated at the existing multipurpose berth at Humber International Terminal in conjunction with three mobile hoppers and handled over 20 million tonnes of cargo in the first few years of operations. These HMK 280 EGs used for coal handling were adapted specifically for Immingham and formed the basis for the later and more powerful Gottwald HMK 330 EG model, a unit of which will complete ABP's crane fleet at Humber International Terminal in November 2004. In addition, six HMK 260 EG cranes support ABP's work in the inner dock.

Giuseppe Di Lisa summed up: "It is supplier-customer relationships such as the one we enjoy with ABP that are core to the success of our business. We regard it as a great honour and distinction and shall do our utmost to justify the confidence that is placed in us again and again."

About Associated British Ports (ABP)

Associated British Ports (ABP) is the principal subsidiary of Associated British Ports Holdings PLC’s (ABPH) – a leading provider to ship and cargo owners of innovative and high quality port facilities and services. ABP is the UK's largest and leading ports group, handling almost a quarter of UK seaborne trade, owning and operating 21 ports, the majority of which are rail connected. ABP's Port of Immingham is one of Britain’s fastest growing ports. The combination of the strategic location on the south bank of the Humber – the UK’s busiest commercial estuary – with extensive deep-water facilities and high-quality service, transit and unrivalled rail connection facilities makes Immingham a market leader in the UK, and first choice for a wide range of customers and traffics. A wide range of cargoes including forest products, steel, general and project cargo, unit loads, agribulks, ores, minerals, liquid bulks and solid fuels are handled in Immingham. Humber International Terminal offers a natural extension to existing facilities at lmmingham and has been developed to enhance bulk-handling services at the port and to complement the specialist riverside bulk terminal, lmmingham Bulk Terminal.

For further information, please visit:

href="https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile/1708-gottwald-port-technology.htm" target="blank">https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...technology.htm

Fig. 1:

Two Gottwald HMK 260 EG Mobile Harbour Cranes discharging scrap at Immingham Dock, UK.

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