New ship-to-shore cranes in Genoa: innovation and development for the Sech terminal

The arrival in Genoa of two new ship-to-shore cranes at the Sech terminal of PSA Italy, located in the Sampierdarena basin area, represents an important step for the development of the port and for the future of container handling operations. The cranes,  produced by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited (ZPMC), reached the terminal after departing in December 2025 from the Changxing Base shipyards. This is a strategic investment aimed at strengthening the terminal’s operational capacity and confirming the role of Sech as one of the main port facilities in Genoa, second in importance only to PSA Genova Pra’.

The CEO of PSA Italy, Roberto Ferrari, described the arrival of the new cranes as a historic event, emphasizing that the investment anticipates the development plan scheduled through 2047. The new structures, custom-designed to adapt to Sech’s infrastructural characteristics, represent the evolution of more than thirty years of activity and continuous growth. The traditional blue color of the cranes, visible in the port skyline for decades, symbolizes the historic connection between the terminal and the city of Genoa.

The investment, exceeding 20 million euros, introduces state-of-the-art technologies and significantly improves operational performance. The new cranes reach a height of 125 meters, with an operating outreach of about 60 meters, and can lift up to 65 tons, clearly exceeding the capacity of the previous structures. They are also equipped with innovative systems such as optical container recognition (OCR), digital truck detection, and ship profile scanning, solutions that increase safety, precision, and efficiency in daily operations. After unloading and installation, the cranes will become fully operational starting from June 2026.

The introduction of the new ship-to-shore cranes therefore marks a key step in strengthening Genoa’s role as a strategic hub in the Mediterranean, equipping the port with modern infrastructure capable of meeting the challenges of contemporary maritime transport.