Hutchison Ports Sydney has put two new ship-to-shore container cranes to work at its terminal in Port Botany, Australia, so it can serve container ships considerably bigger than any now calling in the country.
What the new cranes can do
- Ship size: built to work vessels of more than 15,000 TEU.
- Reach: an outreach covering 23 rows of containers across a ship’s deck.
- Height: able to lift boxes stacked more than nine tiers high above deck.
Room for bigger ships on Australian routes
According to Hutchison Ports Australia chief executive John Willy, the biggest container ships serving Australia today carry around 9,000 TEU. The new cranes mean the terminal can take ships roughly half as large again as those currently deployed.
NSW Ports, which manages the port, said the investment gives shipping lines more flexibility to bring larger ships onto Australian trades. Hutchison’s facility is one of three international container terminals serving New South Wales.
Why it matters for Bangladesh
Terminal operators around the world are upgrading cranes and berths to keep up with growing ship sizes. Bangladesh’s ports face the same question as new terminals at Chattogram, Mongla, Payra and Matarbari take shape. Read more: In Depth: can Bangladesh’s ports keep up?
Based on reporting by Splash247, 7 November 2026.
