Tag: materials handling|ports|shipping

Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe is believed to be the first port in Europe to introduce autonomous terminal tractor units (ATs) into mixed traffic container terminal operations. The first two battery-powered units to enter service at the UK’s largest container port have been supplied by manufacturer Westwell.

Commenting on the new equipment, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer at the Port of Felixstowe, said: “These new autonomous trucks represent a significant technological step forward for the Port of Felixstowe. The tools underpinning port operations have evolved continuously and we already have a range of very advanced systems and equipment in place but this is the first time we will have wholly driverless vehicles.

“Safety is our No.1 priority. This applies equally to technological developments and especially when introducing new equipment into live terminal operations. The ATs have a range of built-in safety features which will allow them to navigate effectively and safely within our container terminals.”

Felixstowe has long record of innovation

The autonomous trucks use a digital map which is loaded to a fleet management system that controls the navigation around the port. The AT then combines that map with its on-board GPS navigation to track its real-time position.

Project Director, and Hutchison Ports UK Chief Information Officer, Karen Poulter explained: “The Port of Felixstowe has a long record of innovation and we are very excited by this latest development at the port. The ATs use LiDAR – a light sensing technology that creates a 3D map of an AT’s surroundings using a laser and receiver, which, when combined with its on-board 360° cameras, provide real-time, all-round ‘vision’.  This enables it to ‘see’ everything instantaneously in its vicinity to allow safe and accurate navigation.

“With the support of Extreme Precise Position (EPP) system, it can achieve positioning accuracy of 2cm and a steering angle accuracy of 0.5°.”

The ATs have been through a thorough commissioning and testing programme. They are to be used initially to transport containers between the port’s Trinity and North Rail terminals.

In October 2020, Piraeus Container Terminal S.A. (PCT), a subsidiary of COSCO, ordered two empty container handlers and one forklift from Konecranes to boost their fleet capacity at the Port of Piraeus, the main sea port of Athens, and the largest port in Greece. The lift trucks arrived in March 2021, when the three new machines joined four additional Konecranes empty container handlers already operating at the terminal.

China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited is a world-leading shipping company headquartered in Shanghai. It is one of the largest container ship companies in the world, and has been present at the Port of Piraeus since 2009, where it owns and operates PCT. The terminal’s main activities are the loading and unloading of vessels and storage services for containers handled by the port. The geographical location makes the port a logistics hub for Europe, Asia and Africa, offering proximity to the Suez Canal, feeder connections to Mediterranean, Black Sea and Adriatic destinations, and multimodal access to the Balkans and Central Europe. These advantages ensure that there is a continuous flow of container traffic through the terminal. With a steadily growing volume, PCT ordered three more lift trucks for the terminal.

“We bought our first two Konecranes empty container handlers in 2017, and they’ve performed very well,” says Mr. Dimitrios Megalooikonomou Deputy Technical Manager of PCT. Mr. Dimitrios Avgeris Operations manager of PCT commented “Because of an increase in demand for our storage facilities, we ordered two more of the same in 2019, and we needed two more again this year. This time, we also decided to add a forklift truck for more flexibility in our container handling. Konecranes lift trucks have lived up to their reputation for outstanding reliability and productivity, and our drivers appreciate the ergonomic design especially suited for our hot climate.”

“Repeat orders from PCT demonstrate that they’ve been very pleased with the high quality we consistently deliver to all our customers in both products and services,” says Tobias Nilsson, Sales Director, Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Local agent Craneports helped us to quickly build a strong, trusting relationship from the very start, and have provided excellent spare parts and local support as well. We look forward to continuing our work with PCT for many years to come.”

Of the three new lift trucks that arrived at PCT in March, two were Konecranes SMV 7/8 ECC 90 empty container handlers, used for stacking empty containers up to 8 high, and featuring a high rear-mounted cabin to improve visibility. The third was one 20-ton SMV 20-1200 C forklift for general repair and cargo support around the terminal, with a lifting height increased to 7,000 mm, a customization for better access to the tall container stacks. In all three vehicles, an electronic warning system prevents overload, and the air-conditioning in the cabin as well as a hydraulic oil cooler and a turbo II filter make them particularly suited to operating in high outdoor temperatures. Their Stage V diesel engines follow the strict environmental guidelines for non-road mobile machinery in Europe while maintaining full power and load capacity. Fitted with a wide range of accessories and options, at their core is a set of quality components that provide stability, safe handling, and long-lasting performance through continuous operation in three shifts a day, for a total of more than 5,000 hours per year.

 

The port terminal operator SERMI in Pozzallo (Sicily), has ordered an eco-efficient Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 Mobile Harbour Crane to improve its overall capacity in container, general cargo and bulk handling. The order highlights Konecranes’ commitment to the growth and transformation of customers and industries so they run more efficiently, sustainably and safely.

SERMI has decided to enlarge its fleet of mobile harbour cranes at its facility in the Port of Pozzallo, a major Mediterranean harbour handling containers shipped worldwide. SERMI ordered a Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 crane, which will increase the handling performance and reduce the operator’s overall carbon footprint thanks to the crane’s diesel-electric drive, raising the terminal to a new level of efficiency. It will be delivered in May 2021.

“For many years, we’ve provided the best industry services for our clients, who include some major local shipping lines. Our new Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbour crane will help us to continue meeting increasing customer demand for the traffic of containers worldwide at the highest level of quality, and in a more sustainable way,” said Vincenzo Venniro, owner and CEO of SERMI.

“The advanced electric drive at the heart of our cranes and the high performance that results perfectly fit the productivity and sustainability needs of SERMI. This agreement builds on years of good cooperation and we look forward to continuing on this path into the future,” says Gino Gherri, Regional Sales Manager for Konecranes Port Solutions.

The new crane is a Konecranes Gottwald Model 6 Mobile Harbour Crane in the G HMK 6507 variant. With a maximum radius of 51 m, it can service container vessels up to post-Panamax class. A full range of smart crane features combined with a maximum lifting capacity of 125t makes it ideal for general cargo and bulk handling as well. Remote monitoring will allow SERMI to follow the performance of its new purchase and plan maintenance more easily. The crane will have built-in readiness for an external power supply, so conversion to electric operation will be easy when resources allow.