New mobile harbor crane technology in Georgia

In the third quarter of 2020, Transford LLC (Transford) ordered two eco-efficient Konecranes Gottwald Portal Harbor Cranes for their operations in Poti on the southwestern coast of Georgia by the Black Sea. With delivery and commissioning planned for the end of 2021, the cranes will handle both containers and bulk materials.

Transford was founded in 2010 as an affiliate of PACE Group, Georgia’s largest transportation company, to provide stevedoring and storage services at the Poti Sea Port. The town is a major port and industrial center, with a railway connection to the capital Tbilisi over 300 km away. Georgia is steadily developing into an international transport corridor for the region. Transford focuses on container and bulk cargo handling, and with business expanding they decided to acquire two more cranes for the four berths they operate in the port.

“At first, we were looking for a different type of crane,” says Irakli Tateishvili, Member of Board of Directors of Pace Group. “Then some local industry contacts told us very good things about Konecranes. We investigated and found that Konecranes was able to provide the efficiency, reliability and customization we require, based on a serial mobile crane type, which gives us reduced downtime and high spare part availability.”

The two new cranes will be Konecranes Gottwald Model 4 Portal Harbor Cranes. They are G HSK 4440 variants, giving a maximum lifting capacity of up to 100 t, a strong lifting capacity curve and a working radius of up to 46 m, with the outreach needed for container ships up to Panamax class. Its light, single-jib design and high working speed makes it highly productive and efficient for bulk cargo handling. The customized portals have 10 travel wheels on each portal corner to meet local rail load requirements. The cranes are equipped with an external power supply, eliminating local emissions and reducing energy and maintenance costs while simultaneously reducing noise.

“It’s always a pleasure to receive an order from a new customer,” says Hans-Juergen Schneider, Regional Sales Manager for Konecranes Port Solutions. “I’m pleased that Transford was convinced by our mobile harbor crane technology and our ability to adapt it to their specific requirements in a portal platform. Good word of mouth is always the most convincing form of marketing, and I’m glad that our other customers in the area are satisfied with our commitment and service, and therefore spoke well of us.”