AMMAN — Aqaba Company for Ports Operation and Management Director-General Mahmoud Khleifat announced the completion of a project to upgrade and overhaul two mobile cranes, in cooperation with the German manufacturer Konecranes Retrofit, at a cost of JD600,000.

 

In a statement issued on Saturday, Khleifat said that purchasing two new cranes would have cost the company more than JD12 million, highlighting the cost-efficiency of the upgrade project, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.

 

He noted that the maintenance project was carried out in line with the company’s procurement system, given that the machinery is over 20 years old, and in a bid to maintain the highest levels of safety and operational reliability at the port.

 

The upgrade works included the steel structure, lifting systems, as well as hydraulic and electrical systems, in addition to control systems and software, Khleifat said.

 

He added that these upgrades brought the two cranes up to specifications equivalent to a 2023 model, despite the manufacturer having previously classified them as out of service.

 

Khleifat said each crane has an operational capacity of around 100 tonnes per hour, noting that comprehensive technical inspections were conducted under the supervision of experts from the manufacturing company, in addition to an independent inspection firm to ensure safety procedures and operational efficiency before commissioning.

 

He added that the project began with the tender process in 2023, with upgrade works launched last October and lasting four months, before being completed last month.

 

Mobile cranes are movable lifting equipment used in ports for handling, loading and unloading heavy cargo from and onto ships.