The new Drive-in L system has an extremely compact design, works entirely without pneumatic or hydraulic components, and is currently the lightest on the market. This means it can be used for any type of RTG – even if there’s little room for additional components.
The first orders for Drive-In L systems have already come in: In APM Terminals Pier 400 in the Port of Los Angeles, they will be installed as part of the global framework agreement in place between APM Terminals and Conductix-Wampfler since 2011.
Reduction of maintenance and downtime
Thanks to its compact design, the Drive-In L – regardless of the type of RTG and the position of the diesel engine – can be installed on both sides of the RTG under the sill beam. That makes the solution the most flexible of its kind currently on the market. The entry or exit time of the RTG is less than 20 seconds with Drive-In L. The short entry zone also makes it possible to supply the RTG with power right from the first row of containers. Compensation is also ensured for tolerances that occur during travel of the RTG in the container blocks or due to lifting and lowering. The purely electrical drive reduces maintenance effort and thus downtime to a minimum. Coupling into the conductor rail with Drive-In L is entirely automatic and is controlled exclusively from the cabin of the RTG. Ground personnel are no longer required to switch blocks, increasing safety in the terminal.
“The reactions of customers show us that we have consistently understood their needs and implemented them as an intelligent solution,” says Claus Burger, Director Business Unit E-RTG at Conductix-Wampfler. Thanks to its many advantages, the new product has enough potential to set entirely new benchmarks in the RTG electrification market.
71 million Euros and 51 million kg CO2 saved
The conversion of RTGs from diesel to electric operation leads to savings of up to 95 percent of diesel consumption. E-RTGs no longer need a diesel engine at all during regular operation, only for driving from one container aisle to the next or in the maintenance area. “If you compare the diesel costs with the projected electrical power costs of an RTG, you can see the specific savings that can be achieved with a conversion. They’re often so high that the conversion costs – about 150,000 Euros per RTG – can be completely amortized after only two years,” says Burger. The elimination of diesel operation also reduces maintenance and operating costs by up to 70%, as well as CO2 emissions and noise in the port.
Thanks to E-RTG technology from Conductix-Wampfler, the savings have already amounted to over 71 million Euros around the world, with emissions of over 51 million kg of CO2 being prevented. “The demand for E-RTG systems is large and will continue to grow. We are assuming that diesel-powered cranes will only be used in the future where electrical power is unavailable for technical reasons,” says Burger. With the new, innovative Drive-In L system, Conductix-Wampfler is breaking new ground in this future market, simultaneously highlighting its pioneer role to an impressive extent.