APM Terminals Mumbai staff’s "emotional goodbye" to cranes

APM Terminals Mumbai, also known as Gateway Terminals India (GTI), is continuing its major Fit for Future project, which will see the terminal increase capacity by 10 percent to 2.18 million TEUs.

"Massive infrastructure upgrades will mean the terminal – India's busiest – will have the reach to handle the largest vessels that call Nhava Sheva's Jawaharlal Nehru port with the arrival of 23-container-outreach cranes," says an official release.

While the company is focused on the future, "bringing our hearts and brains to the game" means that our people care enough about their work to also acknowledge significant achievements and attachments formed in the past. That's why when five quay cranes at GTI were due for decommission, the workforce turned out in droves to say farewell to the infrastructure that has served the company and our customers well."

Sunay Mukerjee, Chief Operating Officer, APM Terminals Mumbai, says: "The decommissioning was an emotional moment for the frontline colleagues at GTI. Berth 1 at GTI closed for operations as we start the massive Fit for Future project.”

He added that "there were few dry eyes on the dock as the Ship-to-Shore cranes 1-5 performed their final moves. In Indian tradition, equipment and tools are considered very sacred. Workers revere the machines which bring success and prosperity in professional life."

Saying goodbye to the cranes was akin to “saying goodbye to a retiring colleague who has been with us throughout our journey to excellence,” says Mukerjee.

Safe to the core
The transformation at GTI will accelerate the terminal's ability to accommodate larger vessels and bring economies of scale. “We are making our terminal safer, better, and bigger. We can achieve this in large part because of the dedication of our people, who demonstrate an exemplary work culture to serve our customers and to keep Safety at the core of our operations,” says Mukerjee.

The safety culture is demonstrated by the 500, and counting, incident-free days at the terminal project site. "This is a remarkable feat considering the nature of the work and dealing with the large equipment and machine at the site,” says Mukerjee. “This is the result of our work culture of taking ownership, following safety protocols & procedures, teamwork, and commitment under the able support of the management."

In the transition periods, expected to take six months, APMM Berth 1 will remain closed for vessel operations. Completion, on schedule for early September, will see the terminal not only increase capability to handle bigger vessels but also increase efficiency, the release added.

GTI is a joint venture of APM Terminals (74 percent) and Container Corporation (26 percent).