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Tag: cranes

Travis Perkins invests in new loader cranes

Posted on by David Priestman

Travis Perkins plc, the UK’s largest distributor of building materials, has announced a multi-million pound investment in 400 new truck loader cranes.

These new HIAB iX.162 HIPRO BSS-2 cranes are the first of their kind and will replace the existing cranes on the Group’s heavy side delivery vehicles in the Travis Perkins merchanting and Keyline Civils Specialist businesses over a three-year period.

This version of the HIAB iX.162 crane is around 150kg lighter in weight than the previous model, HIAB X-HIDUO 162. This allows the truck to increase its payload and lower its fuel consumption. To further reduce carbon emissions, the new cranes have been developed so the engine can be stopped and restarted from the crane remote control. This results in a significant reduction in idle time emissions and noise.

Despite being lighter, the new crane model is stronger than the previous model. This gives operators more flexibility and enables them to deliver heavy loads in even the most challenging customer environments safely and with greater accuracy. They also come with Hiab’s all-new CombiDrive 4 remote control, which has confirmed view sensors and automatically detects operator positioning to minimise accident risk and promote better safety for operators, customers and the public.

“These new cranes represent a significant investment. They support our plans to innovate and grow, and they cement our place as a leading partner to construction by serving our customers with improved safety and efficiency. All new cranes will come with a maintenance contract, which means they will be maintained to the highest standards by Hiab. They also support our own commitment to net zero and the decarbonisation of our customers’ supply chain; a commitment we share with Hiab, whose values very much align with our own,” explained Richard Byrne, Travis Perkins Group HSE & Fleet Director.

Gage Roberts, Hiab Key Account Manager – UK & Ireland, said: “We are all very excited to introduce the first HIAB iX.162 HIPRO  BSS-2 to Travis Perkins and get this unit out working in the field. It became very apparent that when specifying a crane for our customers, the safety features alongside the environmental factors are much more prominent considerations than they ever have been previously. The new crane has an abundance of innovations that will all work towards this crane being the safest, most efficient and most productive crane in the industry. It is also great to work alongside a strategic partner such as Travis Perkins plc; a company that always demands the very best – something that benefits both businesses enormously.”

“There has never been a product on the market before like the HIAB iX.162 HIPRO BSS-2 in its category. Our innovation teams have been working on this round-the-clock for several years and no stone has been left unturned, from hose routing and weight savings, to enhanced safety features and technology that will help companies achieve sustainability  targets. When the new HIAB iX.162 HIPRO BSS-2 cranes are rolled out, we expect the crane operators to see immediate benefits. We look forward to working with Travis Perkins and bringing about real change to the wider UK industry,” Vice President for Sales & Product Management, Loader Cranes Light & Medium, at Hiab, Alexander Gelis, added.

The new 400 HIAB cranes will be rolled out from January 2024, and will be supplied to Travis Perkins and Keyline with HiConnect telematics in order to monitor the performance and safe operation of the crane.

They will also be supplied with the comprehensive service contract solution ProCare, available for Hiab equipment. It provides proactive maintenance and expert assistance to maximise equipment performance, reliability and lifespan.

 

New Quay Cranes at Antwerp Gateway

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Three new quay cranes have arrived at DP World Antwerp Gateway, signifying the latest milestone in the terminal’s ambitious expansion and modernisation plan.

The cranes, which can handle up to a width of 26 container rows on a ship, were constructed by crane builder ZPMC and join a strong network of 10 cranes at the DP World terminal on the eastern side of the Deurganck dock.

The new cranes are part of DP World’s €200m investment plan for the modernisation, greening and capacity expansion of the terminal, initiated in 2019 and supported by the European Commission. The ultimate goal is to offer customers industry leading efficient, resilient and sustainable solutions.

Dirk Van den Bosch, CEO, DP World Antwerp Gateway, said: “DP World strongly believes in Antwerp’s position as a global trade hub and gateway to Europe. With our worldwide network and ever-expanding logistics services, our aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of the port and make it the engine of the Belgian economy.

“These cranes will enable us to handle our projected volume growth in the years ahead. With each new milestone we reach, we consolidate our place as one of Europe’s top ports and strengthen our position as a driver of positive change and economic growth.”

Jef Lambregts, Expansion Project Manager, DP World Antwerp Gateway, said: “Since the start of our investment programme in 2019, a new operational building and two automatic stacker crane modules have been delivered and become part of the improved operations at the terminal. In addition to the three new cranes, we will be commissioning three new automatic modules this year. Next year, we plan to add two more quay cranes to take us to a total of 15 STS (ship-to-shore) cranes.

“We are constantly investing in the most advanced equipment to increase our capacity for enhanced international trade flows.”

Rolling one crane from the ship to the rail tracks on the dock side is done via a special footbridge and takes approximately four to six hours. “Unloading these giants is a precarious job. All conditions such as weather, visibility, wind and water level must be perfect,” added Lambregts. “The whole operation takes about a week. After this, we will connect the cranes to the high voltage grid adjust the movements and install the container registration system to be able to commission the cranes by the summer.”

The crane park can simultaneously handle the largest container ships in the world, which can transport up to 24,000 containers (TEU). The latest cranes can handle up to a width of 26 container rows on a ship, which is one row more than on the current generation of container vessels.

Annick De Ridder, Vice-Mayor of the City of Antwerp and President of the board of directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, concluded: “Port of Antwerp-Bruges is the economic engine of Flanders. That engine keeps running, thanks to the substantial investments made by companies such as DP World. These three gigantic container cranes at the Antwerp Gateway terminal nicely illustrate the growth of the terminal. At the same time, these container cranes, large as they are, also fit nicely with the world port that we are.”

 

Forever Proof Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

Robotics solutions can answer a lot of questions for logistics operators. Exotic’s Rémy Malchirand explains why.

Issues facing warehouse operators include supply chain volatility, increasing labour costs, difficulty finding workers and a lack of flexibility. Warehouse availability, scalability in the face of rising land costs and development limitations, as well as unprecedented economic challenges are also causing disruption as we head into 2023.

As such, retailers are unable to forecast and anticipate growth, and don’t know how to adapt their supply chain to rapidly evolving customer demand – particularly during seasonal peaks.

To adapt to these evolving challenges, a more flexible approach is needed. While automation isn’t a new concept in the UK, traditional automation is sized on anticipated volume of orders based on a long period of time. As a result, legacy technology and equipment is no longer enough to support the warehouse environment of today.

Whereas robotics deployment can significantly enhance the warehouse and logistics environment. A recent Gartner report, ‘Emerging technologies: smart robot adoption generates diverse business value’, highlighted that robots used to replenish retail stores demonstrate quantifiable results in 72% of use cases – the highest percentage among industries. The analyst firm forecast in the report that by 2030, 80% of humans will engage with robots daily, and for many, this may be in the workplace.

Automation in warehousing is no longer a smart addition but is an essential component for sustainable growth. That’s where systems such as Exotec’s retail and ecommerce order picking solution, Skypod, can bring real benefits to businesses – enabling productivity and storage density while remaining flexible and adaptable to customers’ needs.

Safe support for people

As well as needing to overcome external challenges, warehousing operators need to create an environment that enables human workers to operate safely, bolsters productivity and accuracy while maximising resources. For many businesses, human labour is dwindling because of the nature of warehouse work.

In fact, according to Gartner’s report, 66% of supply chain organisations say that labour availability constraints are the primary driver behind their investments in robotics. By implementing robotic solutions, the ‘mundane’ work is handled by robots to allow human workers to take on more customer-centric roles that take less of a physical toll. The result is often a significant reduction in staff turnover.

Working side by side with human operators, Skypod robots operate as a fleet, identifying and collecting totes from storage and delivering them to operators, helping them to prepare orders faster. Robots are constantly assigned new tasks programmed to prioritise the most urgent orders. ASTAR software synchronises the robots, which can carry up to 30kg moving up to four metres per second.

Robotics solution

The short supply and high cost of land are also impacting retailers wishing to expand their ranges to keep up with consumer demand, keep shelves stocked and eCommerce orders fulfilled. Building an entirely new warehouse can be prohibitively expensive, so integrating robots that make the very most of existing space is paramount.

Exotec provides dense storage for any given floorspace, using the height of a warehouse of up to 12 metres. This reduces the need for larger sites at a great cost to businesses, while reconfiguring existing spaces to be as optimised as possible. The Skypod system is therefore ideal for new sites or can be adapted to maximise the available space in existing sites to increase throughput and productivity by up to five times over manual operations – without compromising reactivity.

Importantly, robotic solutions are also energy efficient. The Skypod solution uses up to 80% less energy compared to traditional automation, which is in part because energy is consumed only when a robot is performing a task. In comparison, systems requiring power and/or electromechanical equipment in the rack can mean poorer reliability, higher levels of maintenance and more complex design and installation. This not only reduces the ability to scale and expand, but results in more power consumption,

Retailers looking to stay relevant are aware that they must improve, streamline, and automate warehousing operations to inject greater efficiency, safety and flexibility. Robotic solutions are an adaptable, effective and efficient way to ensure that the warehouse isn’t just future proof – it’s forever proof.

Arendal adds electric harbour crane

Posted on by David Priestman

In August 2022, Liebherr delivered a new LHM 550 to the Port of Arendal in Norway. The main commercial terminal for the port is located at Eydehavn, just outside the city of Arendal.

Eydehavn is a harbour that offers cranes and handling equipment for bulk loads, project cargo, offshore equipment, and containers. With a lifting capacity of up to 144 tonnes, this LHM 550 offers the port the ability to support larger project and special cargo, as well as optimised bulk operations. Another distinguishing benefit sought by the Port of Arendal is Liebherr’s extensive and high standard of service. Besides remote technical support and local field service, a large selection of original parts will help keep the LHM 550 running over many years.

Options for improved bulk processing, handling larger cargo, and supporting more customers The four-rope version of the LHM 550 that was delivered to the client in Arendal will provide flexible applications for cargo and material lifting. For increased efficiency in handling bulk cargo, a suitable grab that is coupled with Liebherr’s SmartGrip technology was part of the crane’s delivery. This feature can optimise the filling rate of the grab in a self-learning manner.

In this way, SmartGrip learns after just a few lifting cycles how to optimise capacity utilisation of the grab. This reduces overloads to a minimum, increases the material handling rate and, at the same time, alleviates crane operator stress. Bulk material such as salt and sulphur will be among the main resources that will be handled by the LHM 550.

A forthcoming project in the area that will benefit from the crane’s optimisations is a new battery factory by Morrow Batteries.

Rune Hvass, Port Director at Arendal Havn, notes: “After deliberations about which LHM model fits our logistical needs the best, we ultimately decided on the LHM 550. An increasing number of customers are demanding capacity for larger and heavier project and general cargo. To also provide better support for a new battery factory that will be built locally, the choice for a larger mobile harbour crane made most sense.

“The high-quality level at which Liebherr is building its cranes, and especially the service concept Liebherr provides, were some of the main reasons why we decided to purchase a Liebherr mobile harbour crane.”

To help reduce noise, the crane is equipped with noise insulation material in the winch and machinery compartment. The crane is also equipped with an e-drive to enable local CO2-emission-free operation. In addition, the complete LiDAT smartApp package was chosen for the LHM 550. The LiDAT modules such as Maintenance and Optimise help monitor a variety of variables for better performance tracking and efficiency of the crane.

The Port of Arendal now has a new, well-calibrated machine to effectively support their clients’ growing logistical demands. With a radius of 54m, the LHM 550 is the perfect crane for handling bulk cargoes in the Capesize ship class. Container handling ships of the New-Panamax class are also part of the crane’s forte. General cargoes and heavy-duty lifting up to 144 tonnes complete the range of applications of the LHM 550.

To help mark the delivery of the crane, a special naming contest was hosted by the port. Arendal Havn invited 25 groups featuring the region’s kindergartens, primary schools and lower secondary schools to participate in a naming contest for the port’s new giant. The winner of the contest was Trollstubben kindergarten with the group Fjelltroll and Vetter. They received a prize of NOK 2,000 (approx.. €200) and a tour of the harbour. The LHM 550 was named “Hulken,” or “Hulk” in English, and is based on the Marvel comic book character.

Floating cranes supply Vietnam with energy

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Liebherr has delivered four transshipment cranes, type CBG 360, to its long-term customer Oldendorff Carriers for a major project in North Vietnam. In the coming years, the cranes, which excel through their reliability and high operating speeds, will be used for power generation in the region. Another three cranes of the same type will be commissioned in West Africa for handling bauxite.

Handling and transporting 100 million tonnes of cargo in 25 years: that is the goal of the NS2 project of Oldendorff Carriers, Germany´s largest bulk shipping company. To achieve this, Oldendorff Carriers’ fleet will work with Liebherr floating cranes. The core of the North Vietnamese project are the power plant´s 2 x 600 megawatt power generation units, which supply the region with energy. The CBG-series ensures a continuous turnover of material for the power plant’s operation. The deployed cranes are characterised by their long service life and low maintenance requirements, which is a decisive advantage especially on the open seas and in remote areas.

Long-term partnership

Liebherr and Oldendorff Carriers can look back on decades of cooperation based on partnership and trust. Like Liebherr, Oldendorff Carriers is a family-owned company that has been operating successfully on the market for many years. For the large-scale project to supply energy to North Vietnam, they were looking for a low-maintenance handling solution. “Oldendorff Carriers values the reliability of Liebherr products and is therefore also counting on high-performance Liebherr four-rope grab cranes, type CBG 360, for this major project,” said Jan Breckling, Senior Sales Manager for transshipment and ship cranes at Liebherr Maritime Cranes. “The CBG is a heavy-duty crane designed for continuous operation. The new equipment will therefore play a crucial and at the same time permanent role in our customer’s long-term transshipment project.”

Extended action radius

Each of the four CBG 360 floating cranes is installed on a 10-metre-long eccentric platform. This allows an extended operating radius of 46 metres for a lifting capacity of 30 tons. The maximum lifting capacity of 36 tons can be utilized at up to 40 metres. The improved positioning and outreach creates more operational flexibility and makes the unloading of the cargo holds even more efficient.

Captain Johannes van Dijk, Technical Director Projects at Oldendorff Carriers, said: “We needed a robust, reliable cargo handling system for our project in North Vietnam. For that reason we chose Liebherr CBG 360 cranes which are high-performance cranes designed for continuous operation.”

The first transloader, “Calypso”, with two CBG 360 cranes went into service at the beginning of 2021 and start of work coincides with Oldendorff Carriers’ 100th company anniversary. Like its sister vessel, it has a length of 145 metres and a deadweight capacity of 18,000 tonnes. In West Africa, the “Albert Oldendorff” with three CBG 360 is in operation for bauxite handling. This transshipment vessel is equipped with hoppers and a conveyor system, which leads to a faster turnover of the material. The cranes are installed side-mounted and directly discharge into the hopper conveyer belt system.

Tanger Med expands to eight Liebherr cranes

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In what marks the end of a very exciting and complex project, and also the start of a new beginning, Tanger Alliance at the TC3 terminal in Tanger Med in Morocco has received the final two of eight Liebherr ship-to-shore container cranes.

The final crane entered service in April 2021 and brings the operational capacity of the new terminal to over 1.5 million TEU per annum. The cranes, which are the first Liebherr STS at Tanger Med, were erected at a remote site in Cadiz, Spain before being shipped two at a time to Morocco. The first cranes were commissioned in October 2020, with four more following in quick succession, allowing the terminal to open for business in January 2021 with six STS cranes.

The cranes were designed and manufactured by Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. in Ireland. They have an outreach of 72m, a lift height over rail of 54m, a span of 30.48m and a backreach of 22m. Safe Working Load under twin-lift spreader is 65 tonnes. The ultra large STS cranes are future-proofed as they can cater for vessels with up to 26 rows stowed across the deck and include fibre optic cores in the cabling, fault monitoring and remote diagnostics. Safety features including laser and ultrasonic anti-collision systems as well as smart slowdowns are installed as standard.

Liebherr Container Cranes contracted with ALE Heavylift Madrid (later Mammoet) to assist with the assembly and transportation of the cranes. The cranes were ordered between March and November 2019, with delivery scheduled to take place during 2020 and 2021. The Covid pandemic with its global lockdown and strict restrictions necessitated an agile approach to site assembly in Cadiz and commissioning in Tangier.

Utilising local support, Mammoet’s personnel and experienced Liebherr engineers, the project was able to proceed with minimal interruption. The cranes bring to 12 the number of Liebherr STS cranes in Morocco with four cranes already in operation in Casablanca.

Gerry Bunyan, Global Sales and Marketing Manager for Liebherr Container Cranes, said: “The handover of these cranes to Tanger Alliance is a key moment for the port. Tanger Alliance’s investment in Liebherr STS cranes will be rewarded with industry-leading productivity, low operational costs and the knowledge that the cranes will be available as required to work on the world’s largest vessels for many years to come. We look forward to seeing Tanger Alliance maximise the cranes’ potential.”

Tanger Alliance container terminal is a global transhipment hub and gateway for direct import and export volumes. With a quay length of 800m, a terminal area of 360,000 sq m, a water depth of 18m and a handling capacity is 1.5 million TEUs, Tanger Alliance is ready to operate on the newest and largest container ships, offering high productivity and 24/7 operations all year round.

Tanger Alliance is a partnership consisting of Marsa Moroc, Eurogate & Contship Italia and Hapag-Lloyd.

 

 

Hiab supplies loader cranes to Spanish railways

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Hiab, part of Cargotec, will supply 37 Hiab loader cranes equipped with connected service HiConnect to ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias), the Spanish state-owned railway infrastructure manager. The units will be supplied as part of a tender to replace old loader cranes and it was won by Prosutec and Air Rail in February 2021. The deal value of €1.7 million was booked in the first quarter of 2021.

The cranes to be supplied will be a rail specific variant Hiab X-Rail 192 based on the medium-range Hiab X-HiPro 192 and the light range Hiab X-HiDuo 118 with specific modifications for use with railway maintenance. They will be installed on draisines to be used to maintain railways, predominantly lifting and unloading materials such as rails and sleepers either by hook or grapple.

The cranes will be made in Hiab’s multi-assembly unit in Zaragoza, Spain, and will be the first model in a complete line-up of loader cranes for the rail segment.

“One of the main reasons we chose Hiab was because of their extensive service network in Spain and Europe, and that the HiConnect service ensures the maximum productivity for our customers. I have over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing and maintenance of rail road and road vehicles, my experience with Hiab cranes has always been good, as well as with Multilift demountables. I believe that Hiab has the highest level of technology in the market and mounted on Prosutec vehicles provides extra value to our customers,” says Santiago Faraldo, Technical Advisor, Prosutec.

“The Spanish climate can be challenging from extreme heat to prolonged rainfalls along the Atlantic coast, but on the road or on the tracks Hiab can deliver productivity and safe operation day after day, night after night to help keep the railway running. We’re very happy that our cranes were selected and look forward to servicing them for years to come to provide the maximum uptime,” says Ronald Verzijl, Managing Director, Hiab Iberia.

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