UK Peel Ports' has awarded a GBP100 million (US$50.4 million) contract to Shanghai-based Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC) to supply five ship-to-shore (STS) mega quay cranes and 12 cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes (CRMGs) for phase 1 at its terminal Liverpool2 development, according to Shipping Gazette.

The GBP300 million deep water container development will gain a further three STS cranes and 12 CMRGs in phase 2 to complete by late 2015 to make the Port of Liverpool the country's largest transatlantic deep-sea port and container terminal capable of handling 13,500 TEUs.

The new container handling equipment can handle two 380-metre vessels simultaneously, and ultimately will have a capacity of over one million TEU. With semi-automated remote-controlled operation, the cranes will reduce the time taken to transfer containers from port to road or rail. They will also have the ability to operate at speeds in excess of 30 mph and wind speeds of up to 55 mph.

The fleet of STS and CRMG cranes will be supported by a multi-million pound investment in state-of-the-art quayside facilities and support technology, including a fully-integrated Navis N4 terminal operating system, autogates and ABB equipment controls.

SPMC senior vice president Liu Qizhong said the specification set out by Peel Ports was "extremely demanding".

"It is clear their ambition to set new standards in port handling technology is a serious one. The combination of deep water and cutting edge technologies sets a new standard for ports innovation in Europe," Mr Liu said.

The Port of Liverpool currently handles a diverse range of cargo, including bulk solids and liquids, ro-ro and containers. In 2012, it was named by Containerisation International as Port Authority of the Year in recognition of its progressive and innovative approach "beyond the port gates".

ZPMC has more than 76 per cent of the market share for container cranes throughout 79 countries and was the first recipient of a National Science and Progress Award in China in recognition of its research and innovation.