New crane for the Netherlands
The Hoogtij terminal in Zaandam in the Netherlands will go on stream in September 2019. The new Kuenz crane, which will be deployed at the terminal, is equipped with a special cantilever lifting system, which will allow large vessels to travel underneath it without risk of collision when the cantilever is lifted into the upper position. With a track gauge of 48 m and a cantilever of 18 m on the water side, the crane is exceptionally large.
Over the last few years, intermodal cranes for container handling have become the most important revenue driver for the manufacturer. More than 70 Kuenz cranes of various designs are already in operation in the Netherlands.
Unlike the traditional box construction, the main girder of the crane at the Hoogtij terminal in Zaandam will have a round girder. Decreasing the size of the surface exposed to the wind reduces the amount of drive power required, lowers energy consumption and diminishes the dynamic forces on the crane wheels, the crane runway and the structure. The manufacturer Kuenz is one of the oldest and most successful companies in the mechanical engineering industry. (fd)