The initial testing took place at the Port of Paducah by loading fifty-four 20-foot ISO shipping containers from dock to barge utilizing the port’s new tower crane. An Ingram towboat will transport the barge with the containers to the port of St. Louis and then back to Paducah for unloading.
Last year the Riverport Authority installed the largest flat-top tower crane in North America, with a lift capacity of 53 tons up to 100 feet from the tower, and a boom that stretches 250 feet. Prior to the new crane, a 40-year-old crane with a 20-ton capacity was used.
The older crane was capable of loading or unloading one barge at a time, but the new Linden Comansa crane can load or unload two barges at a time, at a faster rate and with a greater load capacity. Currently, the Paducah Riverport Authority moves about 875,000 tons of cargo a year, equating to the loading and unloading of about 400 barges.
The Riverport’s decision to install the new multimillion dollar crane was inspired by an increase in shipments on inland waterways in recent years, and the highly anticipated expansion of the Panama Canal, which is sure to create bigger shipments, more cargo, and a demand for faster turnarounds.
The Riverport also has applied for Foreign Trade Zone designation, which could yield economic opportunities for the entire Paducah area.
“We are excited about assisting Ingram Barge Company in this test move,” said Ken Canter, Executive Director, Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority. “Our companies have a long history of working together.”
Greenfield Products of Union City, Tennessee, has partnered with the Port and Ingram Barge by providing a 20-foot-long container handling “spreader” which locks into the container on land, and then automatically unlocks the container when it is placed on a barge. The spreader not only provides an efficient means to handle the containers, it also eliminates the need for people in danger areas where containers and lifted and lowered.
