The Port of Iberia marked the christening last month of the Creole King<\/em>, a barge-mounted stevedoring crane that officials say will expand cargo-handling capacity and improve efficiency along the Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n The Creole King<\/em>, operated by Cooper Consolidated and assembled by E-Crane\u2019s Gulf Coast Service team, stands 75 feet tall with a 125-foot reach. It is powered by an EC30382 PD-E crane from E-Crane\u2019s 4000C Series, the largest of its kind in North America, and is capable of lifting up to 52 tons. The electric-powered crane is outfitted with interchangeable 47- and 39-cubic-yard clamshell grabs for bulk material handling.<\/p>\n Scott Becnel, director of business development for Cooper Consolidated, said the company sought equipment that balanced performance, maintenance and efficiency. E-Crane CEO Steve Osborne noted that the crane\u2019s electric powertrain reduces fuel use by as much as 80% compared with conventional diesel-powered cranes.<\/p>\n Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said the addition would strengthen logistics throughout South Louisiana. \u201cToday we\u2019re not just christening a crane\u2014we\u2019re ushering in a new chapter of opportunity for our ports and people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The Port of Iberia invested more than $6 million through Louisiana\u2019s Port Priority Program to refurbish infrastructure and upgrade facilities for the project. Port Executive Director Craig Romero said the Creole King<\/em> initially created 12 jobs, with that number expected to grow to 50 as more cranes are built.<\/p>\n The Creole King<\/em> is the sister crane to the Pelican<\/a><\/em>, commissioned in December 2024. Both are based in Darrow, La., and are designed to work vessels up to Panamax size or operate in tandem with Cooper Consolidated\u2019s barge-mounted grain handling system.<\/p>\n The Mississippi River corridor handles more than 90% of U.S. agricultural exports. Osborne said the Creole King<\/em> demonstrates the region\u2019s ability to adapt cargo-handling technology to meet industry demands.<\/p>\n The post Creole King unveiled at Port of Iberia<\/a> appeared first on Marine Log<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.marinelog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Creole-King-001-scaled-b7902f09-1024x576.webp?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1\")
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