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An uplifting story from the Clyde

[ March 27, 2024   //   ]

Two new Port of Greenock cranes will henceforth be known as Craner Swift (Taylor Swift) and U-Crane Bolt (Usain Bolt) after creative local schoolkids won the chance to name the huge structures.

Avaleigh Lang, 10, of Lady Alice Primary in Greenock, chose Craner Swift as a nod to the US pop icon, while Frances McFadden, 10, of the town’s St Mary’s Primary School opted for U-Crane Bolt as a tribute to the Jamaican Olympic gold medallist.

The pair were chosen as joint winners after pupils in the town were asked to find the most imaginative names for the vital pieces of infrastructure, due to arrive at the Port of Greenock later this year.

Construction of the new 39m-tall cranes has been completed in Ireland ahead of their arrival in the coming months to Greenock and they are expected to be fully operational later this year, following stringent testing.

The £25m cranes are the largest single investment made at the container terminal.

Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “We all loved Avaleigh and Frances’ suggestions. The names give a nod to the capabilities of our new cranes, so they were the standout choices.

“I’d like to thank all children that entered the competition. We would be really pleased to have Avaleigh and Frances as our guests when we unveil Craner Swift and U-Crane Bolt, which will become an important part of our local skyline for decades to come.”

Dozens of suggestions were entered by pupils across the local area for the competition.

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