26.2.2025 | Ports

DP World is making a £60m investment in the UK’s trading capacity by ordering four new quay cranes for its Southampton container terminal.

The new cranes will be the largest quay cranes in Europe and can perform quad lifts, moving two 40-foot containers together from ship to yard in a single move. This will reduce the time taken to load and unload large container vessels.

The quay cranes, which stand taller than Big Ben and weigh more than 2,000 tonnes each, are scheduled to arrive in mid-2026. Designed to service the largest ships currently in operation, including 24,000 TEU mega-ships, they have an operational lifespan of approximately 25 years. They are a key investment in future-proofing DP World Southampton’s trading capabilities.

Aart Hille Ris Lambers, Vice President – Commercial, Ports & Terminals at DP World in the UK, said: “Our order for these new large quay cranes comes at a crucial time for DP World Southampton. We continually innovate and invest to enhance our operations to give our customers, who operate the world’s largest container vessels, a smooth and efficient service.

“As our productivity and handling rates at Southampton continue to grow year-on-year, and we develop our nationwide end-to-end supply chain network, we’re always looking for ways to improve our infrastructure and offer to customers while serving the national interest.”

The order of the new quay cranes follows the announcement that DP World Southampton was presented with a ‘Productivity Improvement Award’ from global shipping giant ONE (Ocean Network Express), recognising the logistics hub’s efforts to significantly increase handling rates between 2022 and 2023, further demonstrating the growth and innovation across DP World’s UK terminals.

In addition to its hubs at Southampton and London Gateway, DP World offers logistics, forwarding, and European transport capabilities, all of which are integrated into the company’s global network. Operating in 78 countries, DP World handles 10% of global containerised trade.

Image credit: Andrew Sassoli-Walke