NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Norfolk International Terminals will soon have the largest cranes on the East Coast to help with cargo from ships of all sizes.
The two new ship to shore cranes came into Norfolk waterways around noon Thursday, with Chopper 10 getting a live look as the Zhen Hua 25 container chugged along.
The cranes are the last pieces of equipment needed to complete the Port of Virginia’s $450 million capacity expansion project, the port says, which included the addition of dozens of other cranes and infrastructure improvements at the Norfolk and Portsmouth terminals.
Last month the port got more than $20 million in federal aid to help complete its Central Rail Yard (CRY) expansion project.
Last week, the port named Stephen Edwards its new CEO and executive director. He takes over for John F. Reinhart, who has served as head of the port the last 7 years.
In a telephone interview, Reinhart spoke with WAVY-TV 10’s Regina Mobley about how the cranes create a sea change in the highly competitive industry. A smile could be heard in his voice when Reinhart proclaimed Virginia is wide open for the shipping industry.
“We have the room; we have the berth… We can handle your freight and make it move more fluently to the final destination,” he said.
Each crane, at 170 feet and 1,800 tons, is classified as Super Post Suez and was built by ZPNC. Two additional cranes are on order and should be delivered in early 2022.
Here are more specifications on the cranes:
- Crane height = 170’ (52m) lift above the dock
- Boom-out length = 226’ (69m) from the rail closest to the water
- Total height with the boom up = 446’ (136m)
- Width between the legs = 59’ (18m)
- Rail Gage = 100’ (30.48m)
- Unit weight = 1,827 tons
- Lifting capacity = 65 long tons under a twin-20-foot spreader or 100 long tons under cargo hook
(Photo courtesy: Port of Virginia) 
(Photo courtesy: Port of Virginia)
