Konecranes wins lift truck deal from Meridian Port Services in Ghana

The port service company in Ghana ordered a total of 11 lift trucks. Konecranes’ distributor in West Africa, Paterson Simons, brokered the deal.

The total order of 11 Konecranes lift trucks consists of five empty container handlers, four reach stackers and two heavy-duty forklift trucks. All the machines will operate at the new Tema Port Expansion (Terminal 3) which will be run by Meridian Port Services (MPS), an infrastructure investment executed by a joint venture between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Bolloré Transport & Logistics and APM Terminals. When completed, the port will have the capacity to harbor the world’s largest liner vessels on its 1,400m quay, where it will operate four container vessel berths.

The 11 lift trucks were delivered on 9 April 2019. Of the delivery, Managing Director for Paterson Simons, Mr. John Traynor said: “Since the inception of MPS in 2007 and the initial supply of Konecranes reach stackers, forklift trucks and empty container handlers, Paterson Simons has maintained a proud association with the terminal and its crucial role in keeping Ghana’s trade flowing. The new acquisitions demonstrate continued trust in Konecranes’ products and service and we look forward to continuing to work with the new terminal as it expands to greater success.”

All the lift trucks will be equipped with TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring including Konecranes Work Zone, which enhances safety using geofencing technology. TRUCONNECT is also an effective fleet management system, with a range of features to monitor the lift truck fleet, improving predictive maintenance for maximum uptime. 

The empty container handlers (type SMV 6/7 ECC 90) have a 4500 mm wheelbase, which enables stability and safety for handling even on high stacks of containers. The four reach stackers (SMV 4531 TC5) are built on Konecranes’ robust box-type chassis. The forklift trucks ( SMV 16-1200 C) are well-known for their excellent maneuverability with a lifting capacity of 16 metric tons.

Mr. Mohamed Samara, CEO of MPS, concludes: “MPS is determined to keep advancing terminal capacity in this important region of global trade. Our customers expect the very best equipment and service, and this investment reiterates our commitment to world-class terminal services.”