High hopes for new Thunder Bay port crane

A 60-metre-tall mobile crane has changed the skyline on the Thunder Bay waterfront.

The $3 million dollar crane, located at Keefer Terminal, will transfer loadsbound for western Canada from ships.

The CEO of the Thunder Bay Port Authority said he hopes to have the crane which has a life expectancy of 20 years lifting cargo off ships by the fall.

"We're really hoping it brings in a lot more cargo," Tim Heney said. "We need inbound ships in Thunder Bay. We're the biggest export port on the seaways, but the inbound cargo is something we're trying to achieve with this machine."

The mobile crane can alsotransfercargocoming from the west to ships travellingdown through theGreat Lakes.

Heney saidobtaining ithas been a personal goal of his "for quite some time."

"I envision this crane will take us to a new level where we can do things like pipe and steel products, containers, a wide variety of things,"he said.

Henoted the crane which hasmore than 100 steel steps leading to itstop will help Thunder Bay attract ships that don't have their own cranes.

Heney said he hopes it will alsohelp establish a liner service between Europe and Thunder Bay.