The M.V. Linah is the largest UASC vessel to call at Khorfakkan Port to date, and is one of the ships built as part of UASC’s advanced newbuilding program; worth over USD2.3 billion and comprising 17 ships to be delivered between November 2014 and 2016, of which 11 are 15,000 TEU vessels and six are 18,800 TEU vessels.

The superior series of vessels that are part of UASC’s advanced newbuilding program are considered the world’s greenest due to their outstanding environmental credentials and first-class technology on-board, being ranked among the best performing carriers based on CO2 emissions in a recent progress report by Business for Social Responsibility’s (BSR) Clean Cargo Working Group.

The momentous event was attended by senior executives from Gulftainer and UASC, as well as several of UASC’s key customers in the region.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Waleed Al Dawood, Chief Operating Officer at UASC said, “Today, we are very proud to celebrate the arrival of our 15,000 TEU vessel to KCT with our partner, Gulftainer and a number of our key customers. The arrival of M.V. Linah at Khorfakkan Port is an indicator of KCT’s track-record in maintaining the highest standards of operational efficiency.”

Mr. Al Dawood added, “Today is also an example of the strong ties between Khorfakkan Port, Gulftainer and UASC. Together, we continue to provide our UAE customers with efficient and effective green shipping solutions, with UASC vessels making a significant 428 calls to Khorfakkan in 2015.

“This event is also notable as it coincides with UASC’s 40th anniversary, a milestone we are very proud to share with our partners.”

Flemming Dalgaard, CEO, Gulftainer, said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome UASC’s largest ship to the Khorfakkan Container Terminal, and congratulate the company’s leadership for their successful achievements over the last 40 years, including the advanced newbuilding program. Gulftainer has made huge strides in improving our capabilities at Khorfakkan, and we thank UASC for their continued confidence in our ability to deliver to their needs.”

To date, UASC has taken delivery of six 18,800 TEU class vessels – Barzan, Al Muraykh, Al Nefud, Al Zubara Al Dahna and Tihama, and seven 15,000 TEU class vessels – Sajir, Al Murabba, Salahuddin, Linah, Al Nasriyah, Al Dhail and Al Mashrab respectively. The 15,000 TEU vessels are some of the first in the world to receive an Energy Efficiency Certificate with documented Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).

The crane will be equipped with TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring technology, which enables large Industrial Internet ecosystem integration and further full-scale research and innovation work. Delivery is scheduled for autumn 2016.

“The ambition of Aalto’s Industrial Internet Campus is to catalyze innovations in close co-operation with leading companies from technology and ICT industries,” says Martti Mäntylä, Professor at Aalto University. “We welcome the new opportunities for studying the future of Industrial Internet with Konecranes Corporation enabled by their generous offer. The smart crane will be put in good use by Aalto’s researchers and students, and likewise our innovation partners from the entire Industrial Internet ecosystem.”

“This is an excellent way for Konecranes to deepen our cooperation with Aalto University,” says Mikko Uhari, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Technology, Konecranes. “The Industrial Internet is one of our key strategies and represents a great potential and enabler of the future business conducted by us and our customers.”

The CXT NEO-based crane will be equipped with many smart features, such as target positioning, which means that from the push of a single button, the crane brings a load to various predefined targets. It will also include sway-control, which limits load swing and allows for safe and precise load movement. Another smart feature in the crane is hook-centering, which automatically eliminates side pull when a load is lifted.

The crane’s control system, intelligent components and sensors will be connected to the Konecranes TRUCONNECT platform. Through TRUCONNECT, the students will have access to the crane interface, and it will enable establishing communication with other systems, like high-level production management systems, analytics tools and new applications to be innovated.

Konecranes TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring uses sensors to collect data, such as running time, motor starts, work cycles and emergency stops, providing visibility for crane usage. After the data is analyzed, insights can be gained to help optimize operations and maintenance.

“Through the cooperation, Konecranes can be an active partner in the community that creates the future of the Industrial Internet,” Mikko Uhari says. “Opening crane data interfaces to researchers and other developers enables innovations that, in the long run, will benefit everybody in the ecosystem.”