THERE were some new arrivals at the Port of Tilbury this week – and they will be staying there.

Seven new low emission Kalmar straddle carriers that will work at the port are part of a multimillion-pound investment in equipment for the Forth Ports group's key container terminals.

Twelve straddle carriers were shipped from Kalmar's facility in Poland aboard the specialist vessel the MV Aura which delivered five to the Port of Grangemouth in Scotland and then sailed down the east coast to the London Container Terminal (LCT) in Tilbury with the remaining seven machines.

The carriers are the Kalmar ESC440 model, fitted with the latest low emission engine technology which is capable of accommodating a transition to alternative non fossil fuels, the use of alternative fuel types will provide the opportunity to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

They have a 40-tonne load carrying capacity capable of handling the full range of container sizes. For the straddle carrier driver, the cab is fully air-conditioned and on colder days, it has the latest air suspension heated seat.

Stuart Wallace, Forth Ports' Chief Operating Officer said: "Our container terminals in Tilbury and Grangemouth are key shipping and distribution locations and it's essential that we keep investing in our equipment and infrastructure to ensure that we continue to deliver industry leading service provision.

"We are always impressed with Kalmar's straddle carriers and these are our straddle of choice. These new straddles form part of our multimillion-pound investment in our two busy container ports in Grangemouth and in Tilbury.

"We strive to ensure that our customers benefit from our investment and see improved turnaround of vessels, efficient landside service as well on-site access to warehousing and key road and rail links. Upgrading our machinery and plant to low carbon alternatives is at the core of the Forth Green Freeport decarbonisation plan. It is also a central focus for our operations in Tilbury and across the Thames Freeport."

"Forth Ports is a growing business and they are currently recruiting for a range of roles across the group. For more information on this go to the Forth Ports jobs website.