The cranes, which stand 175 feet (53 metres) tall, will help the South Florida port achieve record efficiency levels.
According to the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index, the port is now ranked in the top 25% of ports globally in terms of operational efficiency.
Port Everglades said the Super Post-Panamax cranes can reach further and handle a heavier load, particularly moving containers stacked eight high from a ship’s deck, and can reach 22 containers across the ship’s deck, as opposed to the port’s seven Post-Panamax cranes, which are 151 feet (46 metres) tall and limited to containers stacked six high and reaching across 16 containers.
It currently has a total of 13 container gantry cranes (six Super Post-Panamax and seven Post-Panamax) plus one mobile harbour crane.
“With the commissioning of the new cranes, our historic $471 million project for the Southport Turning Notch Extension is nearly complete. However, we’re not here to just celebrate cranes," said Glenn Wiltshire, acting director, Port Everglades.
“We applaud the investment that our Board of County Commissioners made throughout the years to build up the port’s infrastructure, which benefits the men and women who work these docks and the regional economy.”