Two new Eco reach stackers for Maritime’s Wakefield terminal

To satisfy demand, the UK’s leading intermodal transport operator, Maritime Transport Ltd. (Maritime), has invested in two new Eco reach stackers for its rail terminal in Wakefield in its first-ever collaboration with Kalmar Ltd. Delivery is scheduled to begin in Q4 2020, and will significantly reduce Maritime’s environmental impact whilst providing increased capability for its customer-base.

The Eco machines supplied by Kalmar are the first two in the UK of this newer model, and utilise a much smaller engine than the reach stacker solutions with large, high-horsepower engines that are traditionally seen in rail intermodal applications. This means they can reduce fuel consumption and therefore NOx emissions by up to 25% without compromising on productivity. They also offer an improved overall driving experience with smoother acceleration and less cabin noise.

Paul Heyhoe, Fleet Director at Maritime, stated: ‘The Kalmar team have provided professional support from the very beginning and clearly demonstrated the positive impact that the Eco reach stackers will have on our fuel consumption and therefore carbon emissions and costs. We look forward to utilising both machines at Wakefield once they have been delivered, which will bring a number of advantages to our valued customers and their supply chains including faster turnaround times and greater operational reliability.’

After reaching a groundbreaking agreement with DB Cargo UK on 1st April 2019, Maritime launched its rail subdivision, Maritime Intermodal, which immediately saw the company acquire four dedicated rail services out of Felixstowe and Southampton. As part of the deal, Maritime also took full responsibility for DB’s rail freight terminals in Wakefield and Trafford Park, committing to significant investments in equipment, groundworks, operations and facilities at both sites, a huge project due to exceed £10million. To date, Maritime operates three daily services from Wakefield, with trains running to Felixstowe, London Gateway, and Southampton. Plant currently being utilised on site for import/export container traffic includes two Kalmar DRG450 reach stackers that were in use prior to Maritime’s deal with DB, and one Sany Empty Container Handler. At present, the terminal also has storage capacity for 1,000TEU which will increase as more services commence.

Dave Patterson, Vice President South & West Europe at Kalmar, said: ‘We are delighted that Maritime has selected the Kalmar Eco reach stacker for their Wakefield terminal and we are looking forward to building a productive partnership with the company moving forward. The Eco reach stacker, which has now sold in excess of 250 units, is a prime example of our commitment to developing solutions that help customers to minimise their environmental impact while continuously improving their productivity and lowering the total cost of ownership.’