Tropical Shipping has ordered four Konecranes Gottwald ESP.6 Mobile Harbor Cranes to strengthen container handling operations in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Booked in the second quarter of 2026, the order includes one crane for Riviera Beach, Florida, one for St. Croix and two for St. Thomas, with delivery and commissioning scheduled for the second quarter of 2027. The deployment marks the first time mobile harbor cranes will operate on the U.S. Virgin Islands, significantly enhancing quayside cargo handling capacity.
A long-standing Konecranes customer for more than 20 years, Tropical Shipping is upgrading its fleet to the latest Generation 6 technology. Each ESP.6 crane will feature a hybrid drive system combining a diesel generator with a 250 kW ultracapacitor, delivering improved fuel efficiency, lower emissions and high handling performance.
“For more than two decades, Konecranes equipment has delivered the reliability and performance we need,” said Kevin Blake, Director of Fleet Maintenance at Tropical Shipping. “Introducing the first mobile harbor cranes to St. Croix and St. Thomas is a major milestone for our cargo and maintenance operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands as we continue delivering the first-class service our customers expect.”
The order also includes Konecranes TRUCONNECT remote monitoring, enabling proactive maintenance support through real-time operational insights.
Alan Garcia, Vice President Regional Sales, Port Solutions at Konecranes, said, “This is the kind of project that shows what can be achieved through long-term partnerships. Tropical Shipping knows our mobile harbor crane technology extremely well and this order moves their fleet development forward with our Generation 6 technology.”
The project also supports Konecranes’ Ecolifting programme, which focuses on reducing emissions through hybrid, electric and alternative power solutions for port operations.
