On Sunday, May 4, the Port of Kalundborg waved goodbye to their iconic Fantuzzi crane. The crane has been sold to the Port of Burgas in Bulgaria, where it will be given a new lease of life as an active part of the port's future development. The sale is an important piece in the Port of Kalundborg's strategy for greener and more sustainable port operations.
In late summer, the Port of Kalundborg sold its Fantuzzi crane, and on Sunday, May 4, the crane was picked up by its new owners, who, after a major operation, moved the disassembled crane from the quay to the ship. The ship and crane have now been launched with their destination towards the Black Sea: to the Port of Burgas in Bulgaria, where it is scheduled to arrive in a few weeks. The sale of the diesel-hydraulic crane is a major step in the Port of Kalundborg's strategy to have a greener port operation.
The Fantuzzi crane has been a permanent fixture of the Kalundborg Port skyline for a number of years, but as a diesel-hydraulic crane, it no longer fits into the port's ambitions to reduce CO2-discharge and modernize port operations.
The sale of the crane has therefore been a strategic decision that not only reduces the use of diesel-powered equipment, but also contributes directly to the green transition at the port, as the revenue from the sale has helped finance the electrification of the port's two Gottwald container cranes.
The sale of the Fantuzzi crane also supports the principles of the circular economy. Instead of scrapping the crane and recycling the materials – a process that would have resulted in significant CO₂ emissions from dismantling and remelting – the crane’s lifespan is extended. By handing over the crane to the Port of Burgas, the overall resource consumption is significantly reduced and contributes to a more sustainable use of technical equipment.
“It has been necessary to dispose of the Fantuzzi for several reasons. It is an older crane that was facing an extensive and costly overhaul, and at the same time it no longer harmonized with our green strategy. By selling diesel-powered equipment and investing in electrification, we support more sustainable port operations. The Fantuzzi still has many good years in it, and we are happy that she will get a new life in Burgas,” says Port Director Bent Rasmussen.
The collection of the Fantuzzi crane was originally planned for January 2025, but a number of logistical challenges have led to postponements. As the Port of Burgas has also purchased a similar crane from an Icelandic port, both cranes had to be collected together for economic and environmental reasons. Now all the pieces have fallen into place, and the Fantuzzi has been sent to its new home on the Black Sea, where it will contribute to the development of port operations in the region.
“It has been a lengthy process to get the logistics in place, but we are satisfied that the loading of the crane has proceeded without any problems and that the Fantuzzi is now on its way to its new destination,” says Bent Rasmussen.
