2002-02-04

The Port of Lille has placed an order for two Kalmar ContChamp reachstackers. Due for delivery in spring 2002, one machine is to be used in the Port of Lille while the other will be employed at its Halluin terminal near the Belgian border. The machines are to be used to load and unload containers from river barges, a task which requires the machines to be able to lift containers from below quay level.

This is the second time Kalmar has won an order for such an application from a French company. ContChamps have however been used successfully for such duties in Germany and in the Netherlands for some years and such is Kalmar’s confidence in this market that it has specially developed a 7.5m wheelbase machine for barge handling.

The two French machines have a wheelbase of 8m and with the aid of front jacks, they have an outreach of 9.15m when lifting 25 tonne containers out of the barge holds. They have a negative working height of 1.6m, in other words, they can lock on to containers whose roof level is less than or equal to 1.6m below the quay.

The machine intended for the Port of Lille’s own terminal has also been equipped with a combi spreader for lifting piggyback trailers.

Michel Geernaert, Director Container Handling Division, Kalmar France, comments:

"This deal with the Port of Lille is a very significant one for us as there are a number of smaller terminals in France where container barges are handled. Obviously, for high throughput terminals, a shoreside crane would be used as the primary method of loading / unloading barges but where the volumes do not justify such heavy investment, the ContChamp is the ideal alternative, especially since it has the flexibility to be employed elsewhere on the terminal when there is no barge alongside.

"Even on larger terminals, we are seeing interest in the ContChamp’s barge-handling capabilities as there is often a requirement for a back-up to the quayside crane capability, perhaps in busy periods or when a crane is undergoing maintenance.

"We hope this latest order will mark the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with the Port of Lille and with other French operators working in this field."

Tailor made for each individual customer, Kalmar’s ContChamp reachstacker is the ideal product for operators that are looking for overall economy. The intermodal version of the ContChamp typically comes with a combi spreader for handling both trailers and containers and can be specified with stabilisers or jacks enabling it to handle heavy boxes even when reaching over one rail track to a second track.

Note to Editors:

An electronic photograph is available and can be downloaded from the Dunelm website,

The Port of Lille has placed an order for two Kalmar ContChamp reachstackers. Due for delivery in spring 2002, one machine is to be used in the Port of Lille while the other will be employed at its Halluin terminal near the Belgian border. The machines are to be used to load and unload containers from river barges, a task which requires the machines to be able to lift containers from below quay level.

Kalmar is a global provider of heavy duty materials handling equipment and services to ports, intermodal traffic, terminals and demanding industrial customers. Kalmar focuses on supplying handling solutions that enable customers to operate with a high level of efficiency and reliability. Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine. Kalmar provides a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Manufacturing plants are situated in Sweden (as is the head office), in Finland, in the USA, in the Netherlands and in Estonia.