Port Houston is adding to its large Konecranes RTG fleet with an order for 16 hybrid Konecranes RTGs. The deal was booked in Q1 2025 and delivery is scheduled for H1 2026. In addition, Konecranes Port Services will retrofit eight existing Konecranes RTGs currently operating at the port. The retrofits will be completed by Q4 2025.

Located on the U.S. Gulf Coast, Port Houston is a key hub for international trade and industry. It handles more container traffic than any other port on the Gulf and ranks among the busiest ports in the United States.

Port Houston has long counted on Konecranes RTGs to handle its high-volume traffic. With these new orders, the port will be operating a fleet of 163 Konecranes RTGs – including 73 hybrid models.

The 16 new hybrid Konecranes RTGs, designed for 1-over-6 stacking capacity, will be equipped with advanced Smart Features such as Auto-steering, Stack Collision Prevention and Truck Lift Prevention. Their hybrid power units enable the port to reduce emissions and save on fuel costs.

The eight retrofits will add the same Smart Features, as well as Gantry Collision Prevention, Auto-Steering and new E-Chains. Carried out by Konecranes Port Services, the retrofits will extend the lifetime of an important part of the port authority’s existing Konecranes RTG fleet and align them with the latest technology and safety standards.

“The trust we’ve built with Konecranes played an important role in our decision to make these investments. We work in partnership with the skilled labor who work at our container terminals to determine the best equipment for the operations at Port Houston and Konecranes RTGs keep our operations running safely and smoothly. We value the consistent support we receive from Konecranes Port Services and are confident the team is always on hand to help us when needed,” says Nathan Fabian, Director, Port Cranes at Port Houston.

By investing in Konecranes’ proven hybrid power technology and modernizing part of its existing container handling equipment, Port Houston is preparing for long-term growth. The high performance of Konecranes RTGs and the technical expertise provided by Konecranes Port Services enable the port to efficiently scale operations as demand increases.

“We’re very happy to continue supporting Port Houston with these new RTG deliveries and advanced retrofits. The orders reflect the industry-leading strengths of our hybrid RTG technology and the incredible skills of our Port Services team,” says Jussi Sarpio, Director Regional Sales Americas, Konecranes, Port Solutions.

This contract is part of Ecolifting, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimizing diesel drives, to hybridization and fully-electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a material handling industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.