Katoen Natie, whose Michael Akkermans is a valued member of the Pulp and Paper Alliance, has teamed up with Konecranes to inaugurate two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes at the Port of Antwerp, a new milestone in their cooperation and in the transition to more sustainable, decarbonized and high-performance cargo handling. The investment combines all-electric drive technology with long-term service support to help Katoen Natie reduce local tailpipe emissions while maintaining high operational availability.
(Picture Credit: Katoen Natie)
In total, six cranes were ordered in 2025 for Katoen Natie’s operations at their three deep-sea multipurpose terminals in the Port of Antwerp. The fleet comprises four ESP.9 Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes, each with a maximum lifting capacity of 200 metric tons, and two ESP.8 cranes, each with a maximum lifting capacity of 150 metric tons. All cranes are equipped with Tandem-lift Assistant, enabling a combined maximum lifting capacity of up to 400 metric tons.
The two ESP.8 mobile harbor cranes were officially inaugurated at Katoen Natie Bulk Terminals Quay 1227 in Antwerp on October 15, 2026. The event brought together the leadership and key stakeholders of both Katoen Natie and Konecranes to recognize the commissioning of the new equipment and its contribution to Katoen Natie’s cargo-handling operations.
Each crane features a Konecranes all-electric drive system that integrates an external power supply with rechargeable batteries. The solution is designed to optimize energy efficiency and produces zero local tailpipe emissions during operation. The battery-supported architecture also allows the cranes to move independently between operating positions without relying on a diesel engine.
(Picture Credit: Katoen Natie)
Based on their expected annual operating hours and compared with conventional diesel-powered mobile harbor cranes, the six all-electric cranes are expected to reduce Katoen Natie’s operational carbon emissions significantly per year. This reflects a strong commitment by Katoen Natie and Konecranes to advancing more sustainable port operations, showing how technological innovation, operational performance, and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
For Katoen Natie, this commitment extends beyond reducing the environmental footprint of its own operations. By investing in cleanerand more energy efficient cargo handling solutions across its business lines, the company also aims to support its customers in reducing the carbon footprint of their supply chains, including customers in the forest products industry.
(Picture Credit: Katoen Natie)
The investment in these six all-electric cranes forms part of Katoen Natie’s broader energy transition strategy. Building on its long-standing investments in renewable energy generation, including solar and wind power, the Group is now further expanding its energy infrastructure through large-scale battery storage and upgraded electrical networks. Together, these investments are creating the infrastructure needed to support the further electrification of operational equipment across Katoen Natie’s sites and to progressively reduce the carbon footprint of its operations and customers’ supply chains.
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