Katoen Natie Inaugurates All-Electric Konecranes at Antwerp

Katoen Natie and Konecranes have inaugurated two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes at the Port of Antwerp, part of a six-crane investment aimed at expanding electric cargo-handling operations across the group’s three deep-sea multipurpose terminals.

The newly commissioned ESP.8 cranes were officially inaugurated at Katoen Natie Bulk Terminals, Quay 1227, on 15 October 2026. Each unit offers a maximum lifting capacity of 150 tonnes.

Across orders placed during the first and fourth quarters of 2025, Katoen Natie acquired six electric Gottwald cranes. The fleet comprises four ESP.9 units with capacities of up to 200 tonnes and two ESP.8 cranes rated at 150 tonnes.

All six are equipped with Konecranes’ Tandem-lift Assistant, allowing two cranes to work together with a combined maximum lifting capacity of up to 400 tonnes.

The cranes use an all-electric drive system combining an external power supply with rechargeable batteries. This enables zero local tailpipe emissions during operation, while the battery system allows the cranes to travel independently between working positions without a diesel engine.

“By combining high performance and flexibility with zero local tailpipe emissions, we are taking a concrete step toward the next generation of cargo handling,” said Vincent Vandecauter, BU Manager Port Operations at Katoen Natie.

The investment forms part of Katoen Natie’s wider energy transition programme, which includes renewable power generation, large-scale battery storage and upgrades to electrical infrastructure across its sites.

All six cranes are also equipped with Konecranes TRUCONNECT remote condition monitoring and are covered by a long-term service agreement including predictive maintenance and dedicated spare-parts packages.

“It shows that large-scale electrification of mobile harbor crane operations is not a distant ambition, but a practical reality today,” said Tomas Myntti, President of Konecranes Port Solutions.