Consolis Malaysia uses the robust machine for handling and transporting concrete pipes and components produced on site for the construction of a water-cooling circuit.

High flexibility of use thanks to specially developed grab
The Terex reach stacker used by Consolis Malaysia is equipped with a grab developed especially for pipe components. Guillaume Beduneau, Operation Manager at Consolis in Malaysia, explains: “With the Terex reach stacker we can selectively grab and position the components. In this way we achieve greater flexibility of use than with other handling machines such as mobile cranes. So far the machine has also impressed us in everyday work with its robustness and cost-effective operation.”

Versatile in container handling and for industrial use
Paolo Dazi, Global Sales Director Lift Trucks TPS, is delighted to have gained Consolis as another industrial customer for the reach stacker technology of TPS: “The fact that Consolis has opted for the TFC 45 R proves the versatility of our reach stackers. Besides container spreaders, we can also equip them with the appropriate lifting gear for various industrial applications. In addition, Consolis benefits from the advantages typical of all our reach stackers, namely cost-effectiveness, serviceability and ergonomic design.”

Complete reach stacker model range
TPS offers customers an extensive range of reach stackers. The Terex TFC 45 R belongs to the portfolio of proven machines that has been extended since spring 2015 to include the Terex Liftace™ reach stackers from the new-generation lift trucks of TPS. TPS completed the Liftace portfolio mid-year, which now consists of five models with wheelbases of 6,200 mm to 7,000 mm. Paolo Dazi: “Taken together, there is now a model range available to customers, in which container terminals can find the right reach stacker just as easily as multimodal terminals or industrial companies.”

The company runs a fleet of 14 heavy-duty Kalmar DCE 10 forklifts and some 12 two-axle A-frame trailers at its Ince plant. These tackle the heavy-lifting and movement of 600kg and 1000kg bags of fertiliser from the point of production to storage and despatch facilities elsewhere on site. The site itself, at Ince in Cheshire, sits on 124 acres of land next to the Manchester Ship Canal and includes one Ammonia and three 3 Nitric Acid plants, a further Nitrogen fertiliser plant and 3 compound lines. With approximately 400 employees on site, CF Fertilisers produces 1 million tonnes of fertiliser a year and supplies key market sectors in grass and arable farming. So intensive is the process, its continuous production lines at Ince, and sister site in Billingham in the northeast, account for some 2% annually of the nation’s natural gas usage.

Anthony Jones, Day Handling Team Leader, explained the change in tire policy. “You have to understand that the site is very demanding on tires. Though it is largely flat land, like any major site there is a degree of unevenness at points around the working area that test the wear patterns and life of tires, but our main concern lies in safety-challenges emanating from tire wear. Our Kalmar fork-lifts can pick up four 1000kg bags of fertiliser at one time, and, because they are suspended on straps, each load is effectively ‘live’ in terms of the danger of swinging during transit; while our trailers, which we run as pairs at all times, can also carry that much each.

Because of the nature of the site, safety is a major everyday consideration, and that works right through everything we do. Handling and moving loads with this sort of weight, 24/7, is a key part of the inherent risk on the site, so we take it very seriously indeed.”

The company first looked at Continental Tires in late 2015, and a trial was initiated that was due to run for a full six months. Continental Tires along with local dealer, Nation Tires, offered to set up the trial on both fork-lifts and trailers.

Anthony Jones recalls, “We decided to give ‘Conti’ a chance. We felt the tires we had been using were being changed far too often – so something had to give. We liked the ideas the Continental team put forward and the confidence they had that they could improve on both safety and economy; and we especially liked the fact that they had a very competent and professional local dealer, Nation Tires, the Continental Tires Industrial network partner at Ellesmere Port. A blow-out on a tire, quite apart from the huge safety risk, can also have a very damaging commercial effect on us. We run 24/7, 365 days a year, and if a forklift or pair of trailers is unavailable to us, we soon see back-logs of product needing to be cleared from the end of the production line and moved to storage areas. We produce some 21 different varieties of fertiliser, including our top-selling Nitram brand, and that’s over 1 million tonnes a year: a continuous process that simply cannot be put at risk.”

The initial trial was scheduled for six months, but the immediate improvement was so noticeable that, within just three months, the decision was made to switch the whole fleet to Continental Tires products. The big, heavy-duty Kalmar forklifts feature six tires on two axles. Again, for safety reasons, CF Fertilisers decided to go for the heavy duty pneumatic tires, ContiRT20 11.00 x 20s, but also to inject them with foam. “Continental said we’d get 12 months wear out of these,” says Jones, “but nine months into their usage, we are still only 50% worn and looking good. It is great economically, in terms of purchase price and saved downtime, and a real bonus from the safety angle. The trucks have special rising cabs in order to be able to deal with the work, and a tire blowing out on a heavily laden truck with the cab raised to its full 10 foot extension could cause it to tip over- and that’s simply unthinkable!”

The onsite trailers used to move bagged products from production into storage areas are two-axle A-frame draw bar units, hitched in pairs and pulled behind agricultural tractors as prime movers. The major problem, again, was too-frequent changes due to wear. Anthony Jones adds, “There was also a major safety risk here. The tires were wearing, and the most worrying part was that it was the sidewalls that were exhibiting most stress, so a blow-out was a constant threat.” The trailers have standard draw-bar configuration of steering front axle and rear fixed axle, both with twin tire hubs. As with the fork-lifts, Continental tires, in this case Continental IC40 10 x 20s, are delivering longer wear times and enhanced safety.

Nation Tires, the local dealer to CF Fertilisers, had a major part to play in the success of the Continental Tires trial and take-up. Managing director, Tony Glennon, said, “For a site this size, with the variety and significance of the vehicles we are talking about here, having a local dealership of our size and capability was an important part of reassuring CF Fertilisers in their switch to Continental Tires. We understood their need for a genuine 24/7/365 support service and were both prepared and able to bring this to the mix, with 17 staff and nine mobile site-service vehicles. They demand a 60-90 minute callout response in the event of a tire needing any sort of attention, and we deliver.”

Anthony Jones has the last word, saying, “No new relationship is going to be entirely free of teething problems, but with Continental and Nation Tires I think we have got as close to a problem-free start as anyone could have wished. I now feel we have a superior level of site safety because of the switch, and the fact that the company is saving money, by getting far fewer tire failures and significantly longer tire life, is an added bonus.”

Proposals also focus on freight infrastructure investment, innovation and technology to improve supply chain efficiency, comprehensive energy planning, and increased advocacy for stricter emissions standards and government incentives to help pay for projects that advance testing and commercialization of zero and near-zero emission vehicles. The updated CAAP provides one of California’s first opportunities to implement the vision laid out in the State’s Sustainable Freight Action Plan.

Ports officials met Thursday to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark initiative and unveil the CAAP 2017 Discussion Document, which outlines new concepts under consideration for the third iteration of the CAAP. Building on the unprecedented success of the earlier plans, the working document contains the boldest measures yet for moving the San Pedro Bay ports toward their ultimate goal of eliminating all harmful air pollution from port-related sources.

“The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are driving forces of our region’s economy — they should also be models for how we move toward a more sustainable future by balancing growth and environmental stewardship,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The draft Clean Air Action Plan is an important step in our work to reduce air pollution in our communities, and take action on climate change. I look forward to working with Mayor Garcia to build on this progress and continue strengthening this plan in the coming months.”

“These updates will move the region closer to a zero emissions future,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We have already proven that it’s possible to increase jobs and trade with cleaner air and healthier communities and I want to thank all of our partners who helped make this possible.”

The Discussion Document prioritizes reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from port-related sources 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The target aligns with California’s clean air goals and objectives in the state’s new Sustainable Freight Action Plan, as well as efforts by the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach to shrink GHG emissions ahead of state targets. Cutting GHG emissions also helps the ports maintain and increase their dramatic progress in reducing other key pollutants, namely diesel particulate matter (DPM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx).

The joint meeting kicked off a three-month public review and comment period that extends through Feb. 17, 2017. The ports plan to incorporate public comments received and present the 2017 CAAP Update for final consideration by their governing boards in spring 2017 at another joint harbor commission meeting.

Developed with input from industry, government, community and environmental stakeholders, the Discussion Document recommends a new suite of incentives, lease requirements and regulatory approaches to achieve CAAP goals. They include the following near- and long-term proposals grouped under the categories below:

Clean Vehicles, Equipment Technology and Fuels:
Phase in clean engine standards for port trucks and offer preferential terminal access to green trucks, to transition to a zero emission drayage fleet by 2035.
Reduce idling and transition to zero emission yard equipment by 2030.
Update the Vessel Speed Reduction Program, expand the use of state-approved alternative technologies to reduce at-berth emissions, incentivize clean technology upgrades on ships, and encourage carriers to deploy their cleanest vessels to the San Pedro Bay ports.
Accelerate deployment of cleaner harbor craft engines.
Freight Infrastructure Investment and Planning:
Expand use of on-dock rail by investing in improvements to the port-wide rail network, with the long-term goal of moving 50 percent of all inbound cargo leaving the ports by rail.
Develop charging standards for electric cargo-handling equipment.
Freight Efficiency:
Create a voluntary Green Terminal Program to recognize terminal operators achieving high levels of freight movement efficiency.
Continue to explore short-haul rail, staging yards, truck appointment systems, off-terminal queuing, intelligent transportation systems and other strategies for enhancing efficiencies across the supply chain.
Energy Resource Planning:
Develop infrastructure plans to support terminal equipment electrification, alternative fuels and other energy resource goals.
Continue to develop and implement viable energy conservation, resiliency and management strategies under the Port of Los Angeles Energy Action Management Plan and the Port of Long Beach Energy Initiative.
CAAP 2017 improves upon the initial plan adopted in 2006 and updated in 2010 to reduce emissions from all port-related sources: ships, trucks, trains, cargo-handling and smaller harbor craft, such as tugboats. One original strategy whose importance has increased over time is the Technology Advancement Program (TAP), created to accelerate the development and demonstration of cutting-edge emission reduction technology.

To date, the ports have invested $15 million in 35 TAP projects. TAP successes include emission capture systems for ships at berth, hybrid-electric rubber tire gantry cranes, and drayage trucks and yard tractors fueled by liquefied natural gas, which are all now commercially available. The investment to date includes funding for zero and near-zero emission truck and yard tractor demonstration projects already in progress.

Under the CAAP, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have reduced DPM up to 85 percent, cut NOx in half, eliminated 97 percent of SOx, and lowered GHG an average of 12 percent, all while container volume has increased by 7 percent. The results reflect the ports’ combined clean air progress in collaboration with industry, regulatory, community and environmental partners since 2005. The findings also show the ports continue to exceed their 2023 targets for reducing DPM and SOx (77 percent and 93 percent respectively) and are closing in on their 2023 target of reducing NOx emissions 59 percent.

At Thursday’s meeting, port leaders welcomed all members of the port community to weigh in on the Discussion Document.

“We’ve made undeniable gains in improving air quality over the last 10 years,” said Lori Ann Guzmán, president of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. “We thank our partners in the goods movement industry for their contributions, and we’re looking forward to public input to make this the best update possible.”

“There is still a lot of work to do and getting across the finish line will not be easy or inexpensive,” added Ambassador Vilma Martinez, President of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. “Partnerships and cooperation among all stakeholders will be critical to success, as will be the financial participation from both the public and private sectors.”

The Discussion Document is available at www.polb.com, www.portoflosangeles.org and www.cleanairactionplan.org. During the review period, the ports will hold additional community meetings to gather public comment on the Discussion Document.

Written comments may be submitted to caap@cleanairactionplan.org at any time during the review period. Interested parties are encouraged to register on the CAAP website to receive the latest information and meeting notices.

The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach are the two largest ports in the nation, first and second respectively, and combined are the ninth-largest port complex in the world. The two ports handle approximately 40 percent of the nation’s total containerized import traffic and 25 percent of its total exports. Trade that flows through the San Pedro Bay ports complex generates more than 3 million jobs nationwide.

Peruvian Wharf in Newham will be developed as a centre for low-carbon transport of building materials in East London. The wharf has been protected since 1997 under the Mayor of London’s policy to safeguard strategically placed wharves for cargo handling. The PLA completed the acquisition of the site after a long battle over the wharf’s planning status, subsequently acquiring the site when the former landowner didn’t reactivate it for cargo-handling.

“We’ve fought long and hard to get Peruvian Wharf back into use,” explained PLA chief executive, Robin Mortimer. “It’s ideally placed to service East London’s growth, underlining the importance of retaining strategically located sites for cargo handling.

“The river will play a key role in servicing the construction of at least 260,000 new homes and communities, offering 360,000 jobs. This will help keep tens of thousands of lorries off London’s roads every year, reducing air pollution and improving local people’s quality of life.”

The PLA has paid more than £3 million for Peruvian Wharf. They will initially complete a new access road to the site, prior to letting it on a long-term lease to the Brett Group, the independent construction and building materials group. Brett will develop an integrated terminal on the site, which is expected to be operational late in 2017.

Deputy mayor for transport, Val Shawcross welcomed the news. She said:

“Over two million tonnes of cargo are moved between wharves on the Thames each year. This keeps more than 150,000 lorry trips off London’s roads, reducing congestion and pollution. We look forward to seeing Peruvian Wharf back in use and serving construction projects in East London as soon as possible.”

Fifty wharves on the Thames have been ‘safeguarded’ for cargo-handling use by the Secretary of State for Transport, following the advice of the Mayor of London and the PLA. Peruvian Wharf is one of three currently vacant wharves promoted within the PLA’s recently published Thames Vision, to be brought back into long-term use. The others are Hurlingham Wharf in Hammersmith & Fulham (currently being used for the Tideway project) and Orchard Wharf in Tower Hamlets.