Global Ports Investments PLC (“Global Ports” or the “Company” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) (LSE ticker: GLPR) today announces that a new LIEBHERR LHM 550 mobile harbour crane  was put into operation at the Petrolesport terminal in the Greater Port of Saint Petersburg (“PLP”, a Global Ports Group Company). The equipment was purchased as part of the Global Ports facility development and upgrade programme in Russia. The crane, which has a capacity of 144 tonnes, was manufactured for the Group at LIEBHERR’s facility in Rostock (Germany) and was delivered pre-assembled to PLP by sea.

A LIEBHERR LHM 550 crane is capable of operating in hook, crossbeam, spreader and tipping modes and has high mobility and manoeuvring ability. Its ergonomic tower crane cab offers excellent visibility and safe control of all operating crane movements. PLP is one of the leaders in the transshipment of heavy and oversized equipment in the Northwest Basin. The commissioning of the new crane will allow the terminal to increase the throughput and the cargo handling efficiency,  to optimize the costs of equipment repair and maintenance, while maintaining high quality of service for customers.

The acquisition of a second similar crane is expected in late 2020 — early 2021 as part of the development and upgrade programme. The presence of two modern mobile cranes with increased lifting capacity, which can work synchronously,  will expand the capabilities of PLP in handling heavy, oversized and project cargoes, in particular for the oil and power industries. In synchronous mode, the cranes can handle cargoes weighing up to 270 tonnes.