This week, Tacoma’s waterfront will say goodbye to two familiar giants. The ship-to-shore cranes IHI 2078 (built in 1979) and Sumitomo 2403 (built in 1986) that have stood at Terminal 7 for decades will be carefully loaded onto a heavy-lift barge and towed out of Commencement Bay, headed for the Port of Bellingham where they will be recycled.

The removal marks the final step of the multi-year project to retire the equipment that had reached the end of its safe and useful life. In recent years, the cranes had become unreliable with maintenance costs far exceeding their remaining value to port operations.

“These cranes helped build Tacoma’s reputation as a world-class gateway for generations,” stated The Northwest Seaport Alliance Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commission President John McCarthy. “Their departure creates valuable pier space, eliminates ongoing maintenance costs, and allows us to focus resources on the future, all while honoring the history they represent.”

By removing the cranes whole via barge instead of dismantling on site, The Northwest Seaport Alliance will minimize disruption to ongoing cargo activities at the busy terminal.

Port infrastructure is built to serve our region’s supply chain, workers and communities for decades. The removal of these cranes allows space for more cargo activity today and future terminal improvements that will serve our gateway and waterfront jobs long into the future.

Port neighbors will be able to watch these massive structures depart Terminal 7 the evening of December 18.

Take a look at the timelapse video of the cranes being loaded to the barge this week: