ABB Archives

Automatic Stacking Cranes Contract

Posted on 15 March, 202431 July, 2025 by Keith McKinley

ABB and crane builder Kuenz, headquartered in Austria, have secured the largest single order of Automatic Stacking Cranes (ASC) ever made by a European terminal, as part of the groundbreaking ‘phase 2’ expansion of APM Terminals Maasvlakte II (APMT MVII) facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The companies will deliver 62 ASC and one Intermodal Yard Crane equipped with the latest electrical and automation technology enabling the terminal to double container capacity at APMT MVII. The financial details of the order were not disclosed.

Formalized at a signing ceremony in Rotterdam yesterday, involving APMT MVII, Kuenz and ABB, the contract gives testament to the continued trust in ABB to deliver yard crane automation for APMT MVII, following the success of the first phase which dates to 2012.

For the expansion, APMT MVII is building on the achievements of the existing facility which deploys the highest level of yard crane automation, with fully automated stacks, automated guided vehicle (AGV) transfer zone as well as fully automatic handling of external trucks.

“This is an important step in the expansion for APMT MVII. ABB and Kuenz once again proved to be the best solutions for the handling of our containers,” said Hans Jongejan, Project Director MVII-Expansion. “The combination between the reliable automatic handling provided by ABB and Kuenz’s aerodynamic cranes makes this a sustainable choice. This allows us to not only become the most modern gateway to Europe but also the most efficient and sustainable. We look forward to another successful cooperation.”

The high level of automation with the separation of personnel and handling operations delivers safety as well as efficiency gains. Experience from the current facility also underlines how automation enables smoother and ‘machine-friendly’ operations with less risk of damage to equipment, demonstrated in record-low maintenance hours for the terminal.

“Working with ABB as our systems partner for the expansion of APMT MVII continues a success story that started more than 10 years ago in the same location,” said David Moosbrugger, Managing Director, Kuenz. “We are both delighted and proud that APM Terminals has chosen to work with our two companies once more as their partners in the MVII expansion project.”

The scope of delivery from ABB includes control and information systems, automation sensors and software, and remote control capability to optimize the crane efficiency for remote crane management. Continuous development and solid revision management make it possible for APMT MVII to run both the existing facility and the expansion as a unified efficient facility at a high automation and performance level.

Cranes Contract

“We are proud of the trust APMT MVII has, once again, placed in our crane automation and control systems, and we are excited to contribute to shaping the future of one of the leading container terminal operators in the world,” said Clara Holmgren, Business Line Manager Ports, ABB Marine & Ports. “The precision, reliability and 24/7 availability continue to make a compelling case for our automation solutions, especially where high productivity and performance are essential.”

Ranged along 1,000 meters of new quay, the APMT MVII expansion will significantly increase the capacity of APMT MVII during 2027, strengthening APMT MVII’s position among Europe’s leading container terminals. Yard operations will be highly sustainable as well as automated, with each all-electric crane optimized for 1 over 6-high stacking to make most efficient use of land.

Hutchison acquires Rotterdam container terminal

ABB Chose Movu escala

Posted on 31 January, 202429 July, 2025 by David Priestman

In December 2023, ABB Electrification Norway AS signed a contract with LIS, Movu Robotics’ distributor in Norway, to install Movu’s escala order fulfillment solution in its production premises in Skien, Norway. The international technology company has been looking to better use the limited space by moving the storage component out of production and supplying the latter via smaller blocks at a time.

“We talked to ABB about the challenges a few years ago, as we could not deliver the automation size they required at that time. I think that honesty helped build trust. We only sell something if we are sure the solution will work well,” said Urban Jansson, the Sales Manager for Automation at LIS.

“The engineers from ABB were as impressed by the escala solution as we were. The solution is a huge stamp of quality,” said Eirik Toft, Senior Sales Manager at LIS.

ASRS excels in flexibility and availability

Movu escala is a compact ASRS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) in which autonomous robots move freely in three dimensions to pick highly variable-sized goods. The system is designed to be an easy entry to complex automation while being more flexible than similar solutions, which are often very standardized in the kind of goods and boxes that can be handled.

To check and assess the escala system, a team from ABB, including engineers and logisticians, went to the Movu factory in Belgium to see the live solution at Movu Robotics Technology and Experience Center in Lokeren.

“I have worked with automation solutions for many years and have been excited about many. Still, I greatly admired Movu escala as it ticks so many boxes. Its flexibility, efficiency, and scalability completely differ from what we’ve seen before. In addition, it was great to work closely with ABB’s technical staff, who showed a great interest in the engineering work that forms the basis of the solution,” adde Toft.

Kjetil Andersen is head of industrialization at ABB and confirms what Toft said. “We liked the flexibility, scalability, and redundancy of having free, autonomous robots. If a robot breaks down, it is still possible to operate the warehouse with somewhat less capacity. That was not possible with the other systems we looked at. If things go wrong, it can come to an abrupt halt.”

Streamlines production in Skien by a large margin

When the escala installation is completed in Skien, it will be 22.5 meters long, 11 meters wide and 14 meters high. There are about 6,000 locations, which are not dependent on being picked from the most accessible first. Next to the flexibility that allows the entire product catalogue to be collected in the same system, big or small, the automatic input and output are major innovations. The robots automatically move between storage and production, picking and delivering assembled kits rather than individual items. Previously, such kits had to be left outside and took up a lot of floor space in the middle of the production area, which now allows ABB Electrification Norway AS to build production more compactly.

The system is equipped with two lanes on different floors, which mirror the two floors of the AMR robots that pick and deliver goods between plants and production workers. This allows them to load boxes back into the system at the same time as receiving new ones, saving large amounts of time.

“Success in robotics isn’t just about building advanced machines; it’s also about delivering accessible and reliable solutions. And it’s about forging successful partnerships. Innovation thrives when teams like Movu and LIS come together, combining diverse expertise and perspectives from which the customer benefits in the end. Thanks to our smooth collaboration with LIS, we were able to deliver to the expectations of ABB!” said Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics.

“We have experienced a positive collaboration with Movu Robotics and LIS. They responded quickly when we needed advice and provided the resources we needed,” concluded Andersen.

Rio Grande Container Terminal Efficiency

Posted on 1 March, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Wilson Sons, the largest integrated port and maritime logistics operator in the Brazilian market, has selected ABB’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system for ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes at Rio Grande container terminal, including the QuayPro module to digitalize container stowage confirmation processes. The company has been using ABB’s automated gate systems both at its Rio Grande and Salvador container terminals since 2013. Adding Crane OCR with QuayPro to the existing gate system supports their vision to automate and digitalize terminal processes.

“This partnership means one more step towards our commitment to achieve even more efficient and sustainable operations, through technology and process automation,” said Paulo Bertinetti, Executive Director of the Rio Grande terminal.

The ABB Crane OCR solution automates the process of capturing data as containers are loaded and discharged by STS cranes. Using ABB’s advanced AI imaging technology, the system captures container numbers, ISO codes, door orientation, bolt seal presence and hazardous material labels, as well as recording images for damage inspection purposes. With the exception management system clerks can correct or adjust transactions in real time from a remote location. The solution also includes ABB MatchMaker™ which identifies the terminal trucks, allowing for the automated handoff between crane and terminal vehicles.

“ABB Crane OCR gives us an efficiency edge while the ability to streamline the stowage process automatically represents a productivity differentiator,” said Giovanni Phonlor, Operations Director of the Rio Grande terminal. “Minimizing the risk of error on data entry means more efficient operations. Technology works hand in hand with leaner, greener operations, ready for growth in traffic and in vessel capacity,” he added.

The combination of ABB Crane OCR and the QuayPro module makes it possible to streamline the stowage confirmation process, with increased productivity as a result. The module determines the actual stowage position of containers during vessel loading operations, providing input to the terminal operating system to create an accurate outbound BAPLIE (bayplan/stowage plan occupied and empty locations message) file, in addition to confirming the accuracy of inbound stow positions. Any deviation from the load or discharge plan is reported in real time enabling the terminal to adapt to dynamic variations. In addition, crane drivers get audio-visual work instructions.

“The new QuayPro module is more than an extension of the OCR system; it will change the way container terminals operate. We are proud to further strengthen our relationship with Wilson Sons and to see the positive impact of our technology on the Rio Grande container terminal operations,” said Richard Micheli, Product Line Manager OCR, ABB Marine & Ports.

Cranes Contract

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