Port targets Saturday for Gantry Crane 6 inspection and recertification

The Port Authority of Guam is working to repair Gantry Crane 6 and is targeting Saturday for inspection and recertification.

Gantry Crane 6 was dislodged from the rail system on Oct. 2 during a high-wind incident brought on by a monsoon surge. Gantry 6 traveled 1,000 feet down the rail, striking Gantry 5, which subsequently hit Gantry 4. Since then, the Port has been in recovery mode.

“Gantry Crane 5 has been returned to the rail system and remains under repair and technical assessment. Gantry Crane 6 is also back on the rails and was successfully boomed down yesterday afternoon for further assessment,” the Port said Thursday.

The Port is working with Matson, the gantry crane preventive maintenance contractor, and Smithbridge, which Matson brought in to assist with recovery operations.

“Port employees remain actively engaged in the repairs, inspections and assessments necessary to safely restore the remaining cranes to service,” the Port added.

Throughout the recovery, the Port has maintained cargo operations.

“Operating with only one gantry crane has extended vessel working times by approximately one day compared with a typical call, and that has created some schedule movement in the vessel sequence,” Port General Manager Rory Respicio said. “We are not minimizing that impact. At the same time, cargo continues to move through the terminal and based on current operations we do not anticipate the vessel timing adjustment to materially affect the release of cargo through the gatehouse and into the community.”

On Thursday, APL Oceania was serviced using Gantry 4 and the ship’s gear. This followed the completion of Lurline operations, the departure of the Galaide and the arrival of the Torm Thunder fuel tanker.

“The Lurline discharged 476 containers, consisting of 285 full imports and 191 transshipments, including two empty containers. The vessel also discharged 221 break-bulk units, comprising 90 pieces of heavy equipment and 131 automobiles,” the Port said. “The completion of Lurline operations allowed the Galaide, which had been docked at the Port since Oct. 1, to receive five transshipment containers it had been awaiting. The Galaide completed its outbound operations with 13 containers, consisting of seven exports and six transshipments, along with one privately owned vehicle (POV) export.”

The Port said 395 containers and 237 break-bulk units have been released to the community since Monday.

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