By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – Nasty weather has put the brakes on the delivery of new port cranes, forcing the massive container cranes to hold off from making the last leg of their world tour.
The four, blue container cranes pulled out of a port just north of Shanghai December 4th and almost a month later made their way around the Cape of Good Hope.
Making good time the cargo cranes left the Port of Kingston on Sunday and arrived just off the coast from Southport at around 7:30pm Wednesday.
The cranes were supposed to make the final stretch up the Cape Fear River Friday, but a blast of wet and wintry weather has delayed that final leg until Saturday.
This means the stretch of Cape Fear River between its mouth and the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge will be open Friday but closed for much of Saturday.
The four blue and yellow container cranes are double the height of cranes at the port now.