Four of Europe’s largest quay cranes arrive at DP World’s UK ports

DP World has welcomed four of Europe’s largest quay cranes to its UK ports, as part of its continued investment to expand capacity and support the growth of UK trade.

The first pair of cranes, weighing more than 2,000 tonnes each and standing nearly 150 metres high, taller than world-famous London landmarks such as the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral, arrived fully assembled by sea at London Gateway on Friday 25 September, having completed their round the world journey from Shanghai They will be installed at the new all-electric Berth 5, currently under construction as part of DP World’s £1 billion expansion of the port, which is due to become operational in 2027.

The second pair are due to arrive at Southampton next week and follow the delivery of two new cranes in June, bringing the total number servicing the terminal to 16. Together, the four new cranes delivered at Southampton this year represent a £60 million investment and a significant upgrade to the terminal’s handling capability.

Capable of consecutive ‘tandem lifts’ of two 40ft containers at once, the new cranes can service the largest container ships currently in operation, including 24,000 TEU megaships, enabling both terminals to accommodate growing trade volumes and the increasing size of vessels serving global shipping routes. A further two cranes are scheduled for delivery to London Gateway’s Berth 5 in the coming months.

The arrival of new equipment for two of the UK’s most important container terminals comes as DP World publishes a new report showing the London Gateway port and logistics park supports more than 10,000 UK jobs and adds nearly £800m GDP to the UK economy.