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Tag: Konecranes

Chile Port Starts Emission Reduction with Reach Stackers

Posted on by David Priestman

Two Konecranes reach stackers have just started handling containers at the Ultraport terminal in Puerto Angamos, a major port for Chile’s vital copper exports. Ultraport is ramping up efforts to reduce emissions and chose lift trucks featuring Flow Drive, a Konecranes innovation that uses a special transmission to cut fuel consumption without losing performance.

Ultraport has been a Konecranes customer for over a decade, with an extensive fleet that includes over 30 reach stackers and several mobile harbour cranes throughout Chile. They are part of Ultramar, which has installed the first Konecranes Rail-Mounted Gantry (RMG) cranes on the continent at their Terminal Graneles del Norte (TGN). Ultraport has now continued to lead the way in material handling by introducing the first Flow Drive lift trucks to the region.

“As one of the leading port operators in Chile, we have a responsibility to maintain sustainable business in the region. Because Puerto Angamos plays such a key role in the Chilean economy, we believe it is the ideal location to start our emissions reduction program,” says Nelson Ojeda, Manager of Ultraport Angamos.

“The first Konecranes Flow Drive reach stackers in Latin America are a natural addition to Ultraport’s large Konecranes fleet. Their faith in our technology and expertise convinced them that this is the best solution for their emissions initiative. And we’re proud to work with trusted local distributor Trex to help Ultraport achieve their goals,” says Andres Ramirez, Sales Manager, Konecranes Lift Trucks.

The two new lift trucks are Konecranes SMV 4632 TC5 reach stackers equipped with Flow Drive, an innovative solution utilizing a hydromechanical variable transmission (HVT) to limit power at low speed, reducing wear and carbon emissions while cutting fuel consumption by up to 25% compared to a reach stacker with standard diesel configuration. A number of optional onboard features improve performance and safety while further reducing environmental impact: the Hydraulic Long Life (HLL) filter increases the oil change interval, automated central greasing minimizes mechanical wear and reduces maintenance, and two additional cameras located on the spreader that allow the driver to check the twist locks during the whole operation, while one rear camera aids visibility in reverse maneuvers. TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring collects operational diagnostics to help optimize usage and the Premium upgrade adds tire pressure monitoring to maintain stability, further cut fuel consumption and extend tire lifetime.

This delivery is part of Ecolifting™, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimizing diesel drives, to hybridization and fully-electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a material handling industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.

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Material Handling at Latin America’s Largest Port

Posted on by David Priestman

Konecranes delivered 7 forklifts and 2 gantry cranes to Eldorado Brasil’s new cellulose terminal in Port of Santos in Q3 2023, completing an order that also involved joint planning and consulting on the layout of the terminal to ensure Eldorado gets the best business return for its major investment.

Eldorado Brasil’s new terminal in Port of Santos, Latin America’s largest port, is designed to process 3,000,000 tons of pulp bales annually – or close to 8,300 tons daily by rail and truck. Around 90% of the pulp is exported to 45 countries globally. Eldorado approached Konecranes for support in planning the layout of the terminal and to provide the specialized equipment to keep it running.

“We want to be the benchmark in cellulose logistics, so we chose Konecranes for our new terminal. They helped us design the terminal and provided equipment with all the special adaptations we require for cellulose handling. After just a few months, we’re already impressed with the productivity, safety and eco-efficiency,” says Leandro Nogueira, Logistics Operations Manager, Eldorado Brazil.

“Eldorado came to us after using a Konecranes indoor overhead crane at another pulp mill for over a decade. With this terminal, we offered them a complete pulp handling solution, and we will continue to offer such full-service support in the future,” says Leandro Belotto Bosco, Senior Account Executive, Industrial Cranes, Konecranes.

“This delivery strengthens a long partnership with Eldorado that offers many benefits to both sides, including extensive cooperation with our trusted local lift trucks distributor Equiport. The new cellulose terminal is a state-of-the-art digital ecosystem that brings the highest levels of efficiency and safety to lifting in the pulp and paper industry, and we’re proud to support Eldorado in making it a success,” says Andrés Ramirez, Regional Sales Manager, Lift Trucks, Konecranes.

The seven Konecranes SMV 16-1200 C 16-ton forklifts use a special clamp designed to lift pulp bales without pallets and have several safety enhancement features including shock absorbers and safety lights and cameras. Special sensors optimize oil usage and reduce waste.

The two Konecranes gantry cranes are tailor-made with a customized open winch, a spreader clamp for pulp bales and the option to attach a container spreader when needed. A variety of Smart Features ensure smooth and accurate movement, and braking energy is recycled. Radio controls and a Remote Operating Station (ROS) allow full crane control with maximum operator safety. Konecranes is also providing Eldorado Brasil with TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring, which collects near real-time diagnostics to optimize the performance, maintenance and eco-efficiency of all the equipment. This data is available 24/7 through the online customer portal yourKONECRANES.

 

New Distributor of Lift Trucks in New Zealand

Posted on by David Priestman

From 1 December 2022, heavy equipment dealer AB Equipment became the distributor of Konecranes Lift Trucks throughout New Zealand. This has improved the options available to lift trucks customers in the region.

Established in 1878, AB Equipment has long been a New Zealand market leader in industrial equipment for materials handling, construction, forestry and city maintenance. Working with an extensive range of global brands, it has 18 branches across the country that deliver 24/7 service support and genuine parts. The addition of Konecranes to their product and aftermarket portfolio follows AB Equipment’s business strategy as it focuses on keeping local businesses moving as effectively and efficiently as possible.

“Becoming the distributor for Konecranes Lift Trucks in New Zealand enables us to offer our customers greater choice and further strengthen our leadership position in forklifts and access equipment,” says Peter Escott, CEO of AB Equipment. “The iconic Konecranes brand is associated with strength, performance and reliability, and we’re excited to show their award-winning electric forklift E-VER to our local customers. With high durability and intelligent controls, all of their lift trucks offer smart and fuel-efficient solutions for Kiwi businesses.”

AB Equipment can now provide New Zealand with the full range of Konecranes forklifts, reach stackers and container handlers, including Ecolifting driveline options to save fuel and reduce emissions, along with the Konecranes flagship E-VER, Konecranes’ first heavy-duty fully-electric Li-ion forklift. TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring will help AB Equipment customers to optimize their operations and maintenance by collecting their lift truck usage data and presenting it through the online portal yourKONECRANES.com.

“Konecranes Lift Trucks has had a presence in New Zealand for some time,” says Patrik Lundbäck, VP, Sales and Distribution, Lift Trucks, Konecranes. “Through AB Equipment, we’re now able to provide our customers across the country with a more comprehensive product portfolio and a whole new level of service support. We’re excited to begin this new partnership and look forward to working with AB Equipment for many years to come.”

Konecranes’ presence continues to grow in the ancient city of Alexandria

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In January 2021, Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company (ACCHCO) ordered three additional Konecranes empty container handlers for their two sites in northern Egypt, with two going to the Port of Alexandria and one to the Port of Dekheila expected June this year. They join a large fleet of Konecranes lift trucks already operating at the ACCHCO facilities.

The earliest maritime facilities were built where Alexandria stands now sometime around 1900 BCE, making it one of the oldest ports in the world. However, the port’s history really starts when Alexander the Great founded the city in 331 BCE. Today, the Port of Alexandria is the main port of Egypt, and together with the nearby Port of Dekheila, an extension of the original port, handles about 60% of Egypt’s foreign trade. ACCHCO was established in 1984 as the first specialized container handling facility in Egypt. The company operates two main terminals: Alexandria Terminal and El Dekheila Terminal, in their respective ports. As their volume of trade continues to increase, they need to move a growing number of empty containers to and from storage areas or make them ready for the next consignment. After a tender process, they decided to order three more empty container handlers from Konecranes because they have always been impressed with the efficiency and productivity of their other Konecranes equipment, purchased across previous orders since 2013. This new delivery will bring the total number of Konecranes lift trucks in the ACCHCO fleet to 40 units.

“We bought three of the same model SMV 5/6 ECC 90 empty container handlers just two years ago, and we’ve been more than satisfied with their performance,” says Admiral Mamdouh Tawfik Draz, CEO of ACCHCO. “These lift trucks have shown outstanding reliability, stability and performance in a challenging work environment, operating across shifts and around the clock. Local agent Tad Trade has given us excellent after-sales assistance and maintenance services on behalf of Konecranes. It’s a pleasure to work with such reliable partners.”

“The fact that we won the tender and that ACCHCO are making a repeated order so soon reflects the quality of both our equipment and our long-term business relationship,” says Erik Rausner, Sales Manager, Konecranes Lift Trucks. “We are delighted to see a customer put their trust in such a large Konecranes fleet, and look forward to maintaining our work with ACCHCO and helping them to build on their continuing success.”

The three new Konecranes SMV 5/6 ECC90 empty container handlers have been fitted with a range of special features to enhance their performance. An innovative spreader includes added strength with reduced weight for more durability and less wear. Central greasing on the truck and spreader simplifies maintenance. Safety features include extra lighting on the console and mast for improved visibility; buzzers to alert the driver to temperature and pressure changes; an alarm and automatic lift stop in case of overload; automatic plug fuses as circuit breakers in the unlikely event of an electrical fault; engine, lighting and ignition shutdown if the truck is left running for five minutes to save fuel, and the parking brake engages automatically if the driver leaves the seat.

ACCHCO has also requested different customized chassis colors on each of their orders as it helps them to visually identify and keep track of their machines in the field. These three empty container handlers will be painted RAL 1018 zinc yellow.

Last year Konecranes announced it was to merge with Cargotec.

Automation Project Goes Live at Ports of Auckland

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The first phase of the Ports of Auckland’s (POAL) straddle carrier (SC) automation project went live in June 2020. By September, 26 container ships had been successfully serviced by the blended fleet of 24 enhanced manual SCs and 27 new automated Konecranes Noell Straddle Carriers (A-STRADs).

POAL’s primary aim for converting to automation in this phase is to increase the terminal’s capacity and move the annual terminal throughput from circa 900,000 TEU/year to 1.4 M TEU/year. The Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s busiest import port. The cooperation between the terminal and Konecranes ensured container handling efficiency while reliability was not compromised throughout the ramp-up.

The fleet of manned SCs were equipped with additional safety control systems that work seamlessly with TBA’s TEAMS Equipment Control System. The new software ensures the entire fleet (whether manual or automated) can be supervised using one management system. Konecranes equipment and TBA’s terminal and equipment software work hand-in-glove so that simulations, testing and ramp-up are as seamless as possible. In this way optimal system performance is swiftly achieved.

Blending an entirely manual fleet of SCs (many already 10 years old) with the 27 new A-STRADs required several key changes to the port’s operations and infrastructure. The first stages of implementation included building the new truck gates operated by the A-STRADs and setting up an interchange area for the “handshake” between the SCs and A-STRADs. As a world-first this development was a key focus area for the team.

Ralf Konnerth, Director Konecranes Automated Horizontal Transport, commented, “In close cooperation with the POAL team, we designed the port’s sectors first-ever dynamic, fenceless and fail-safe interchange area. The innovative system allows stack shuffling between manual SCs and A-STRADs and saves the customer substantial costs in civil works.”

The project has demanded a flexible, end-to-end automation solution executed through agile cooperation between Konecranes, as premier automation system provider, port terminal software pioneer TBA Group and POAL’s team of operations, infrastructure, IT and systems specialists.

“Together Konecranes and TBA are a great team. They worked hard to address our specific needs and took POAL’s high standards comfortably in their stride. I can honestly say that their approach to automation, reaching it in manageable and tailored steps, was the optimal solution for us and we are confident the partnership will yield further great results for the rest of our automation roll-out,” concluded Ross Clarke, Programme Manager – Automation, Ports of Auckland.

This project is part of Konecranes’ Path to Port Automation, where container terminals improve productivity and safety in manageable steps. From smart features up to full automation, the path can include supervised operation and remote operation to smoothly introduce the power of automation. The path to port automation applies to all container handling equipment brands. Full automation can be the final goal, but it doesn’t have to be. Flexibility is the key.

In January 2020, Logistics Business reported on Konecranes having signed contracts with Yilport for the delivery of Automated RTG systems to three of Yilport’s European container terminals, two in Portugal and one in Sweden.

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