Container Crane Recycling: Upgrade and Relocation

With the slowing economy and rising prices of new cranes, renovating existing container handling cranes and bulk handling cranes deserves serious consideration. Upgrading existing cranes to serve post-Panamax ships was common in the 1980s and 1990s. With the growth of Chinese equipment suppliers, new crane prices leveled off, and renovating existing cranes became less economical. Surging material and energy costs have escalated new crane prices, and current economic conditions have caused equipment owners to reduce their capital expenditures, making recycling existing cranes more attractive. Existing cranes can be enlarged to serve larger vessels and modernized for increased productivity and easier maintainability. Depending on the situation, crane modernization can be achieved at a significantly lower cost than buying new cranes, and can be completed in half the time. Existing cranes can also be relocated to respond to changing vessel deployment and business climate. The high cost of relocation within the USA does not always favor relocating the equipment. However, the cranes can be mobilized in a shorter time than purchasing new equipment. This paper will present options and considerations for upgrading and relocating existing cranes.