Neo-Panamax cranes arrive at Port of Savannah

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) received four Neo-Panamax cranes last week for use at the Port of Savannah.

Once commissioned, the cranes will bring the port's fleet to 30. Six additional cranes will arrive in 2020, according to a GPA press release.

When all 10 cranes are commissioned, the upgrade will allow the port to move nearly 1,300 containers per hour.

"These new cranes will prepare us for the next wave of growth for Georgia and the nation," said GPA Chief Operating Officer Ed McCarthy. "Nearly two-thirds of the ships serving the Port of Savannah are Neo-Panamax vessels, and we expect the shipping lines to continue their shift toward larger vessels."

The cranes are tall enough to lift containers 152 feet above the dock, while the booms reach out 192 feet from the dock face. Each crane's lift capacity is 72 tons.