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Port of Vancouver, Wash., Seeks to Buy Portable Crane

Posted on: Thursday, 15 December 2005, 18:00 CST

By Jonathan Nelson, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.

Dec. 15--Port of Vancouver Executive Director Larry Paulson gets to embark on an expensive shopping excursion after commissioners directed him Tuesday to spend up to $4.1 million on a portable crane.

Buying a mobile crane moved up the agency's priority list after 80 wind turbines crossed the port's docks this summer and demonstrated the potential revenue that could be generated from special projects and other heavy-lift cargo.

Rod O'Hearn, of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local No. 4, which handles the Port of Vancouver, said the mobile crane can further solidify the port's position in the bulk cargo industry.

'No question' equipment needed

"There's no question we need to have it the Portland (area)," he said.

Commissioner Arch Miller said the port took a gamble of sorts when it spent more than $80 million over the past several years to improve its docks on the promise that it would increase marine traffic.

"It worked," Miller said. "This is a bit of a gamble, but not as big as that (the dock expenditures)." The port is looking at four new and used cranes capable of picking up 104 metric tons to 140 metric tons.

The 104-metric-ton crane is a used model in British Columbia and could be in Vancouver within two months for $3.7 million. The 140-metric-ton crane would take up to 10 months to deliver and cost $4.1 million.

Paulson said the port's commitment to buy another crane could help in landing jobs being planned for 2006, including the possibility of more wind turbines coming through Vancouver.

Payment for the crane is undetermined at this time, but some of the money could come from the port's capital projects budget.

In 2000, the port spent $3.5 million on a used multipurpose, hammerhead Paceco crane that works almost seven times faster than two other machines used on the port's docks.

Maureen Chan-Hefflin, port spokeswoman, said the additional crane makes the port more flexible in attracting business.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.

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Source: The Columbian

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