Four ship-to-shore cranes capable of working 24,000 TEU vessels have begun arriving at DP World's UK terminals, part of an investment programme the operator says ranks the units among the largest quay cranes in Europe.

The first two cranes arrived fully assembled by sea at London Gateway on September 25 after a voyage from Shanghai. Each weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and stands nearly 150 metres high. They will be installed at the new all-electric Berth 5, currently under construction as part of DP World's £1 billion expansion of the Essex port and due to open in 2027.

The second pair is due at Southampton next week, following the delivery of two cranes in June. The latest shipment brings the terminal's fleet to 16 STS cranes. DP World said the four cranes delivered to Southampton this year represent a £60m investment.

All four units were supplied by Chinese manufacturer ZPMC. They can perform tandem lifts of two 40-foot containers and handle ships of up to 24,000 TEU. According to WorldCargo News, the cranes have a safe working load of 65 tonnes, an outreach of 72 metres and a backreach of 56 metres. A further two cranes are due at London Gateway's Berth 5 in the coming months.

The commercial stakes

The hardware matters for shippers and carriers calling at two of Britain's busiest box gateways. In 2025, London Gateway and Southampton together handled more than 5m TEU — close to half of the UK's total container throughput of more than 10 million TEU. London Gateway alone moved a record 3m TEU, a 50% jump on the previous year.

Cranes rated for 24,000 TEU vessels with tandem-lift capability shorten vessel turnaround at berths that already absorb nearly half of national container volume. For ocean carriers, that reduces port time on UK strings; for shippers and forwarders, added berth capacity and faster lifts translate into more schedule resilience at terminals operating near record utilisation.

The all-electric specification at Berth 5 also aligns with carrier decarbonisation targets, a factor terminal operators increasingly cite when competing for alliance calls.

DP World's newly published DP World Effect report underlines the scale of the two-port network: London Gateway and Southampton handle 46% of UK containerised trade, support 10,500 jobs and contribute £799m to UK GDP.

What the operators said

"Trade powers our growth and prosperity, so the UK needs world-class infrastructure capable of handling the demands of maritime trade. These new quay cranes represent another major investment in that infrastructure, which is boosting UK productivity, employment and national income," said Kris Adams, DP World CEO UK Ports & Terminals.

Robin Mortimer, Chief Executive of the Port of London Authority, pointed to the growth signal and the equipment's electric drivetrain. "The arrival of two new electric cranes at London Gateway is another clear sign of growth within the Port of London. With the expansion of Berth 5 helping to unlock greater capacity for trade and investment on the tidal Thames, we look forward to welcoming even more trade to the Port of London. It is positive to see that the cranes are also electric, supporting our ambition of achieving Net Zero," he said.

Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test, framed the Southampton deliveries in trade and employment terms: "With two more of these epic cranes arriving in Southampton next week, this welcome investment helps further cement our position as one of the UK's major centres of international trade. Together with the pair that arrived over the summer, the cranes will boost Southampton's ability to handle modern container ships, supporting UK exports, ensuring access to global markets, and delivering good local jobs for our communities."

Dredging work for London Gateway's fifth berth has already begun, keeping the £1bn expansion on schedule ahead of the 2027 opening — capacity that will arrive just as UK container volumes test the limits of existing quay infrastructure.