WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Gov. Roy Cooper was at the port of Wilmington Tuesday getting an up close look at new neo-Panamax cranes.

• The two cranes arrived from China in April
• They allow the port to accommodate larger vessels
• A third crane is expected to arrive next year

The two massive cranes arrived from China in April and began operations earlier this month.

The addition of the cranes has allowed the port to accommodate larger vessels that are capable of handling more cargo.

Gov. Cooper said the new cranes are helping the port find its niche in the shipping market.

"They know that they cannot be as big as some of these ports that we have, say, in Virginia. But, they can be faster and they can be more nimble," said Cooper.

A third neo-Panamax crane is expected to arrive at the port next year.

In total, the new cranes come at a cost of about $33 million.