The Fiji Ports Terminal Limited (FPTL) is leading the way in the Pacific when it comes to efficiency and safety.
This was expressed by Tec Container Asia Pacific Limited director Roger Cannon after confirming that FPTL has placed an order for six Spreader Bars.
“It’s now under production,” he said from Brisbane, Australia yesterday.
“The Spreader was redesigned especially at the request of Hasthika Dela the CEO of Fiji Ports to provide additional safety. His ideas were greatly appreciated by the design team and were incorporated into a new design especially for the Port of Suva.
“The redesign involves additional safety bars for the protection of the semi automatic twist lock components.”
Mr Canon said the main advantage of the use of these spreaders goes back to productivity and safety.
“The engineers at Tec Container Spain believe that once the operators of the cranes have been trained up to speed the operation time for handling containers can be reduced by 60 per cent.
“There is the additional advantage of not having men working on top of containers.
“The practice of men working on top of containers has actually been banned in many ports.”
He indicated that Fiji is the first Pacific Island country to order for the Tec Container spreaders.
“We are still visiting and quoting other ports but Suva is leading the way.
“The major reconstruction of the port in Vila (Vanuatu) is well underway and we hope to deliver equipment there sometime next year after Fiji.”