Five new STS (ship-to-shore) cranes arrived this Tuesday at the PSA Antwerp Europa terminal, in the port of Antwerp, aboard the heavy lift vessel Zhen Hua 36. These are the largest cranes of this type ordered to date for the Belgian port and constitute a central component of the Emerald Project, the comprehensive transformation program that PSA Belgium and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges are undertaking at this infrastructure which has over three decades of history.
The cranes, manufactured by the Chinese constructor ZPMC, are semi-automated equipment designed to operate the largest container ships currently on the market. Once installed, they will reach a height of 52 meters and will have a reach of 71.8 meters, allowing them to work with vessels up to 26 wide containers. Each unit will be equipped with a dual hoist system with a lifting capacity of up to 112 tons.
PSA Antwerp plans to incorporate a total of 11 semi-automated STS cranes of these characteristics at the Europa terminal, all equipped with dual hoist and OCR technology (optical character recognition) as part of the comprehensive modernization of the facility. The five newly arrived units will undergo a process of assembly, commissioning, and safety and performance tests before entering service, which is expected in the second half of 2026, provided that the work schedule unfolds as planned.
In terms of technology, the cranes incorporate advanced safety and automation systems that include anti-sway technology, remote diagnostics, high-precision control interfaces, and integrated digital monitoring. They are also equipped with integrated lashing platforms, a solution that allows all container securing operations at height, keeping workers away from terminal traffic and improving safety conditions in port operations.
In terms of sustainability, the cranes operate with high-energy-efficient electric drives and regenerative systems that return energy to the grid during operations. Additionally, they are compatible with smart-grid technology, allowing the terminal to manage electrical demand more efficiently. The set of these features will contribute, according to PSA, to reducing energy consumption and emissions associated with ship operations.
Edward Tah, CEO of PSA Belgium, indicated that the Emerald Project will increase the capacity of the Europa terminal by 800,000 TEUs annually and significantly improve the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of operations. For his part, Johan Klaps, president of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and port councilor of Antwerp, stated that the arrival of the new cranes is a concrete step in preparing the terminal for the future and is essential for maintaining the competitiveness of the port and ensuring that the largest container ships can be handled safely and smoothly.
The five STS cranes add to the automated yard cranes (Automated Stacking Cranes or ASC) recently delivered to the Europa terminal, designed by the Austrian manufacturer Kuenz and integrated with ABB automation systems. These yard equipment will allow stacking containers up to six heights, compared to the three heights currently achieved with the straddle carriers in use. This operational change will result in an increase of up to 40% in yard storage capacity and a reduction of more than half of the carbon emissions per handled container. Kuenz has been contracted to supply 14 of the 40 ASC cranes planned in the complete transformation plan.
The Emerald Project is a collaboration between PSA Belgium and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges that encompasses the large-scale renovation of the Europa terminal. The program includes both the construction of a new dock wall with deeper draft — undertaken by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges — which will raise the berthing capacity of the terminal from the current 11,000 TEUs to 25,000 TEUs, and the comprehensive modernization of the terminal itself, the responsibility of PSA Antwerp. The renovation will be developed in three phases and the first of these, which includes the recently arrived cranes, focuses on major infrastructure works, including dredging, reorientation, and expansion of the dock wall. The forecast is that the terminal will be fully operational by 2032, with a total capacity of 2.5 million TEUs.