Port Crane Prices: STS and Portal Harbor Crane Budgets
Conditional USD planning ranges for ship-to-shore and portal harbor crane equipment, with scope boundaries and project cost drivers.
USD budget ranges · 30 October 2026 · 10 configurations
Port Crane Equipment Budget Ranges
Port crane prices range from low single-digit millions for a portal harbor crane concept to tens of millions for a large ship-to-shore system. The estimate depends on the work envelope, load definition, duty, machinery and supply boundary. The table below contains author-prepared equipment budget ranges for ten planning classes. They are not manufacturer quotations, current offers or confirmed unit configurations.
Use the capacity rows as screening buckets, not specification sheets. STS rows cover a broad concept outreach family of approximately 35–65 m, with no vessel, quay or named unit assumed. Portal working radius, load chart, rail gauge, clearance and rail length are left open for the berth design.
All figures are conditional author budget estimates in USD, not factory quotations. Values represent crane equipment and a baseline factory-check allowance only. STS capacity means planning cargo payload beneath the spreader at the defined design point; portal capacity means hook load at a nominated radius. Do not read either as usable capacity at every position. Freight, quay rails and foundations, site power distribution, field erection, commissioning, duties, taxes and terminal integration are excluded unless separately stated.
| Planning load class | Product configuration | Planning specification | Equipment budget | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 t under-spreader classrated capacity | Concept budget classShip-to-shore crane — 40 t class Ship-to-shore container crane |
| USD $5,500,000–$8,400,000Planning estimate | Early planning for a lower-capacity quay crane concept; exact vessel reach governs. |
| 50 t under-spreader classrated capacity | Concept budget classShip-to-shore crane — 50 t class Ship-to-shore container crane |
| USD $7,400,000–$11,500,000Planning estimate | Indicative container-quay budgeting where ship outreach remains unselected. |
| 65 t under-spreader classrated capacity | Concept budget classShip-to-shore crane — 65 t class Ship-to-shore container crane |
| USD $10,000,000–$16,000,000Planning estimate | Planning class for larger container-vessel envelopes, pending engineering. |
| 80 t under-spreader classrated capacity | Concept budget classShip-to-shore crane — 80 t class Ship-to-shore container crane |
| USD $14,000,000–$23,000,000Planning estimate | High-capacity STS planning range with substantial geometry and scope uncertainty. |
| 16 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 16 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $820,000–$1,400,000Planning estimate | Lighter general-cargo or bulk-handling concept where hook radius is verified. |
| 25 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 25 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $1,050,000–$1,800,000Planning estimate | Moderate-duty bulk or general-cargo budget class, subject to load chart. |
| 35 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 35 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $1,400,000–$2,300,000Planning estimate | Cargo handling where reach and the complete load-radius chart can be matched. |
| 50 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 50 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $2,000,000–$3,200,000Planning estimate | Mid-capacity portal option for a defined cargo mix and berth rail interface. |
| 70 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 70 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $2,800,000–$4,400,000Planning estimate | Heavier portal concept subject to verified load curve and berth capacity. |
| 100 t hook classrated capacity | Concept budget classPortal harbor crane — 100 t hook class Portal harbor crane |
| USD $3,900,000–$6,400,000Planning estimate | Large portal budget class where berth structure and operating envelope need review. |
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What a port crane price includes
This guide estimates the crane equipment package, not a completed port project. The allowance covers a conceptual main structure and handling machinery, electric drives and basic controls, plus a baseline factory engineering and check allowance. The STS and portal bands use different capacity definitions, so a number of tonnes alone is not a fair comparison.
For an STS crane, net cargo load is measured under the spreader at a defined position. The spreader and any lifting accessory consume crane capacity. For a portal harbor crane, the hook rating belongs to a point on the boom load-radius chart; the maximum hook rating generally cannot be assumed at the longest reach. Confirm the applicable chart and operating duty before comparing a price.
These are concept budgets prepared for early planning, not prices attached to a selected manufacturer’s model. Their broad edges acknowledge unknown structural geometry, local requirements and supply scope. No named vessel, port, customer, equipment proposal or delivered installation is represented.
Define reach, portal span and operating envelope
On a ship-to-shore crane, outreach is the waterside working distance needed to access the farthest container row. Backreach is the landward side of the crane behind the waterside rail, while rail gauge is the spacing between its travel rails. Required outreach changes with the vessel’s beam and container-row layout; gauge, rail position, lift height and backreach must fit the berth. The broad outreach envelope above is a budgeting assumption only, not a proposed unit or vessel fit.
A portal harbor crane uses a boom and slewing upper structure over a rail-mounted portal. Its working radius, hook height and cargo path must be defined together. Portal span or track gauge means the spacing across the travel rails; clear portal height must allow the planned rail cars, trucks or conveyors, where applicable. A price row cannot tell you whether a portal crane will clear a facility or lift the target load at the needed radius.
For both types, define what the rated load includes, the load positions and operating duty, the chosen power source and site connection, and whether the scope is ex-works equipment, delivered equipment or an installed package. When one boundary is missing, apparent price differences may simply reflect different scope.
Same capacity does not mean same port crane
A 50 t STS row and a 50 t portal row are not like-for-like offers. The first is a container payload under a spreader at a defined design point. The second is a hook-load class at a selected boom radius. The lifting attachment, radius, travel path, rated duty and structural loads differ. A portal hook chart may show a reduced capacity as the radius increases; an STS design may need much greater outreach and a different rail and quay interface.
In this guide, those two 50 t entries simply illustrate how separate operating envelopes create separate equipment budgets. They do not establish equal productivity, interchangeable applications or an optimized specification. Compare cargo, reach, load chart, rail geometry, power, duty and included supply scope before interpreting the numbers.
What moves a port crane budget
Reach and structure. A longer waterside reach, backreach or portal clearance changes the main structure and its load path. Larger capacity also changes the structural members, machinery and travel arrangement. For a portal crane, use the load chart at the required radius rather than the headline hook capacity.
Handling package. Hoisting, trolley or slewing equipment, speed range, duty, controls and lifting attachments affect the equipment package. STS scope may specify a particular spreader interface; the weight and functions of the spreader must be stated. Portal cranes may use different hook blocks, grabs or other cargo tools, each with its own compatibility and weight implications.
Port interface. Rail gauge, wheel loads, rail beams, stops, power feed and available shore supply can shift costs between crane supply and civil/electrical contracts. A quay crane price that excludes berth reinforcement or substation work is not a total-project figure.
Execution boundary. Export packing, freight, insurance, duties, site erection, commissioning, operator systems and control-room integration can sit outside an equipment-only budget. Compare like-for-like boundaries and identify who owns each interface.
From equipment allowance to project cost
Use a simple planning equation: crane equipment estimate + freight and insurance + berth civil and rail works + incoming power and distribution + field erection and commissioning + import duties and local taxes + owner-side integration. Each term needs its own project basis. The figures in the table cover only the first term and a baseline factory-check allowance; this article assigns no fixed percentage to the remaining costs because access, distance, local contracting and quay condition are unknown.
Scope sheets often place the same work in different packages. One supply may include a rail system or installation supervision while another stops at the machinery package. Make the exclusions visible beside each preliminary number and separate any optional controls or lifting tools. This makes the budget useful without implying an installation price that has not been engineered.
For investment approval, also distinguish a budget estimate from a supplier’s technical and commercial offer. A price guide cannot confirm final dimensions, acceptance criteria, compliance documents, availability or delivery commitments.
Check the berth before narrowing the price
Quay capacity and rail geometry are part of the crane decision. Obtain the crane’s wheel-load and travel-rail information for the selected configuration, then have the berth designer check the support structure and load distribution. Do not treat a rough equipment budget as evidence that an existing quay is suitable.
For an STS system, reconcile vessel envelope and container rows with outreach, backreach, rail location, lift height and land-side clearances. For a portal harbor crane, match the cargo weight to the actual load-radius curve, and check portal gauge and clearance against the site’s cargo route. On either machine, confirm the electrical supply arrangement and the boundary between the crane package and fixed infrastructure.
Port operations should define the cargo attachments and handling sequence; lifting tools and suspended load contribute to total lifted load. The price guide does not design the spreader, hook block, grab or lifting plan. Those interfaces require equipment-specific engineering and review.
Port Cranes price questions
Compare the same lifting task, equipment scope and site responsibilities.
How much does a port crane cost?
For early planning, this guide places portal harbor crane equipment concepts from about $820,000 to $6.4 million and STS equipment concepts from about $5.5 million to $23 million. These are broad, author-prepared USD estimates, not quotes. The ranges exclude freight, quay civil work, site power, erection and commissioning.
How much does a ship-to-shore crane cost?
The STS concept rows here span approximately $5.5 million to $23 million in USD equipment budget, reflecting a broad 35–65 m outreach family and 40–80 t under-spreader planning classes. They do not represent a selected vessel fit or unit proposal. Final price depends on the engineered vessel envelope and supply boundary.
What is the difference between an STS and a portal harbor crane?
An STS crane transfers containers between a ship and the quay, using a long waterside outreach and a spreader. A portal harbor crane uses a slewing boom above a rail-mounted portal for cargo handling at a hook or attachment. Their load definitions, geometry and berth interfaces differ.
Does rated crane capacity stay the same across the whole reach?
No. STS capacity is tied to the specified operating position and spreader configuration. A portal harbor crane must be checked against its load-radius chart; available hook load can change with boom radius. Confirm the chart and accessory weights for the intended lift.
Do these port crane prices include installation?
No. The table is an equipment-only planning allowance with a baseline factory-check component. Freight, quay rails and foundations, incoming power, site erection, commissioning, duties, taxes and terminal-system integration are excluded.
Can I compare two port cranes using capacity alone?
No. Compare the same load definition, working radius or outreach, duty, lifting attachment, travel arrangement and supply scope. A 50 t STS under-spreader planning class is not directly equivalent to a 50 t portal hook rating.
View Port Crane Options
Compare the two port-crane families and their intended handling arrangements.