Southampton Container Terminals (SCT) continues to invest in Terminal Operations

Since the start of the year, SCT has invested over £7.5 million in the purchase of 15 new straddle carriers.  The first two straddle carriers will be operational in early July with the balance of the new machines arriving on a rolling schedule through to mid November.  The machines will be supplied by manufacturers Noell and Kalmar.  Part of this order will replace existing machines and part of this order will be in addition to the terminal’s existing fleet.

In addition to the new machines, SCT has also invested in 13 acres of additional yard space since the start of the year which will provide further ground slots for the storage of containers.

The terminal’s vehicle booking system (VBS) has been further developed with additional bookings available for vehicles bringing empty boxes to the terminal and therefore enhancing landside efficiencies.

Commenting on the investments at the terminal, Campbell Mason, Managing Director, SCT, said:

“We have undertaken a number of investments in the first six months of the year to improve terminal equipment, take on additional yard space and develop the vehicle booking system to enhance the operation at SCT.  In parallel with this, we have also recruited a further 65 employees to take up various positions around the terminal.

In recent weeks, we have seen a significant improvement in the efficiency of our landside operations with the majority of vehicles being serviced in under one hour.”

Civil works on the quay necessary to accommodate our two new super post-panamax cranes are scheduled to be completed by the end of August and the cranes are due to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2008.