Giant cranes for Thames port

They are more than twice the size of Nelson's Column and today three of the largest cranes in the world were ferried along the Thames to a new super port.

They'll be used to lift containers from giant cargo ships onto the quayside at London Gateway, the £1.5 billion global shipping port which is set to create thousands of jobs in the region.

Derek Johnson reports and speaks to Simon Moore, of DP World London Gateway, and Andrew Bowen, Engineering Director.

Simon Moore, DP World London Gateway chief executive, has high hopes for the South East's new super port as giant cranes arrive up the Thames.

The first video clips of three giant cranes from China as they head into port on the River Thames near Essex. The cranes will aid container shipping once the London Gateway opens later this year.

How large?

The cranes are taller than the London Eye, weigh 1,848 tons each, will reach across 25 rows of containers on a vessel and can lift up to 80 tons at a time.

Why so large?

London Gateway will be handling the world’s largest container ships, operated by shipping lines to provide economies of scale and reduce environmental impact on the main shipping trade lanes. That means lower cost and lower carbon supply chains for retailers and other cargo owners.

And the future?

The 25-box outreach takes the cranes beyond the width of the world’s largest container ship. “The size of the cranes future-proofs the port, allowing London Gateway to handle the next generation of ultra large container ships,” says London Gateway operations director Tim Halhead.

Three new giant cranes have arrived from China into the new deep-sea port in the Thames Estuary. The site is near Stanford le-Hope in Essex. The quay cranes which are taller than the London Eye measure 138 metres in height - two and a half times the height of Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square.

The cranes will be used to lift containers from big ships onto the shore. The LOndon Gateway is due to open at the end of 2013. When complete, its owners say it could bring 36,000 jobs to the economy.

The biggest cranes ever seen on the River Thames arrive at the new London Gateway super port.

Three giant cranes will arrive at Britain's new deep water port in the Thames Estuary today. They'll be used to move containers from some of the world's biggest ships to shore when The London Gateway opens later this year.