International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) recently delivered a pair of new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, the largest port equipment in Papua New Guinea (PNG), to the country's leading container terminal.

ICTSI's unit, South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) at PNG's Port of Lae, can now handle larger box ships of up to 6,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) using the new cranes.

They will contribute to SPICT’s market leader positioning in the national and international logistics chain, says Robert Maxwell, ICTSI South Pacific CEO.

“ICTSI achieved another major milestone in Papua New Guinea after delivering the country’s very first quay cranes at our SPICT facility," he underscored.

"With improved productivity, the Port of Lae will soon become an important transshipment hub for the Pacific islands region.”

As a result, shipping lines can expect quayside productivity gains and shorter port stays.

The terminal will soon be able to facilitate direct calls by larger vessels operating in the major trade routes, which in turn would reduce costs for both importers and exporters in the region.

“As we plant the seeds to create sustainable port cities and communities, it is our hope that this new equipment will further sustain Papua New Guinea’s economic growth and expanding international trade over the coming years,” Maxwell added.

Once the STS cranes are deployed, one of the mobile harbor cranes currently at SPICT will be transferred to Motukea International Terminal (MIT) in Port Moresby, thereby also increasing the operational efficiency for both terminals.

Earlier this year, ICTSI South Pacific invested into two 2.5-Megawatt Cummins power generators to ensure constant power supply in its Lae terminal.

It also procured seven new truck trailers in Lae and three units in Motukea, as part of the additional investment to support the STS cranes increased productivity.

Additional equipment such as empty container handlers (ECH) are expected to arrive in both terminals in 2023, same as two additional rubber tired gantries (RTG) for SPICT.

To ensure the continuity of ICTSI’s corporate culture and system of operations across the Group, ICTSI South Pacific likewise sent several of its employees from SPICT and MIT to train at ICTSI flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in the Philippines.

The training will enhance their ability to operate the new STS cranes and improve their management and supervision capabilities.

In 2017, ICTSI, through its Papua New Guinea subsidiary South Pacific International Container Terminal Limited, signed a 25-year terminal operations agreement with state-owned PNG Ports Corporation Limited for the Port of Lae.

SPICT’s contract specifically covers the port operations and facilities at the South Pacific International Container Terminal.