The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) has welcomed four ZPMC Super-Post Panamax cranes to the Seattle Harbor marking a significant milestone in the Terminal 5 Modernization Project.
The new Terminal 5 cranes will begin moving cargo at the beginning of 2022, when phase one of the two-phase construction project is complete.
At full completion, Terminal 5 will boast 185-acres of additional capacity and on-dock rail to handle discretionary cargo and shorepower, which are essential to the sustainable growth of the NWSA gateway.
Beyond import cargo, Terminal 5 will increase opportunities for exporters from the mid-west and eastern Washington to move their goods to market.
After spending several weeks traveling from Shanghai to the Pacific Northwest, the cranes concluded their journey through the Puget Sound to Elliott Bay on Sunday, June 13th.
Standing 316 feet tall with a 240-foot outreach boom, each crane can lift 100 tons of cargo providing increased capacity and job opportunities for our region.
Fred Felleman, Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair, said, “The arrival of the T-5 cranes into Elliot Bay demonstrates our collaborative commitment to invest in the critical infrastructure needed to secure the future of living wage maritime jobs in Seattle.
“Reopening T-5 will not only enable us to reduce the truck traffic congestion serving T-18, but with the new cranes able to serve larger vessels, more cargo can be moved on fewer ships.
“Furthermore, air, noise and climate impacts will be reduced by enabling ships to use shore power rather than running their generators while at berth – benefitting our killer whales and communities alike.”
Dick Marzano, Port of Tacoma Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair, also commented, “Our investment in Terminal 5 ensures that our gateway remains competitive for the next 30 years and beyond.
“By adding additional deep-water terminal space, we can serve the largest vessels in the industry and increase cargo volumes that benefit our local, state, and regional economy.”
