The Board of Directors of Konecranes Plc has appointed CFO Teo Ottola Deputy CEO. The Deputy CEO uses the powers of the CEO if the CEO position is not filled or in situations when the CEO is incapacitated to fulfil his duties.

Panu Routila will transfer from Ahlström Capital, where he has been President and CEO since 2008. Ahlström Capital is one of Finland’s largest investment companies. Ahlström Capital Group’s balance sheet exceeds EUR 1 billion and the annual net sales of the group are approx. EUR 1.5 billion.

Panu Routila has experience from listed companies via his duties as a Board member and Chairman of the Board of Ahlstrom Corporation since 2014 and from Vacon Plc where he was a Board member and Chairman of the Board in 2010-2015. He has held industrial management positions at Kuusakoski Group, Alteams and Outokumpu and prior to that he served in leading financial positions at Outokumpu and Partek Group in Finland, France, and the USA. Panu Routila has a M.Sc(Econ.) degree.

“Panu Routila has firm experience in top management of industrial enterprises. As the previous chairman of Ahlström Capital, Mr. Routila´s present employer, I have known and worked closely with him during several years. Because of conflict of interest I could not participate in the selection process. I am in total agreement with my Board´s choice. I am looking forward to continuing my successful collaboration with Panu Routila”, says Konecranes Plc´s Chairman of the Board Stig Gustavson. “Konecranes possesses a competent and totally committed group of operative leaders in all its business units. Therefore Mr. Routila´s skills of indirect leadership of complex organizations and his experience of M&A-related work very well match the needs of our Group going forward”, he concludes.

“I’m looking forward to joining Konecranes and continuing the great work the team has done so far. My industrial career will be of great asset for further developing the company,” says Panu Routila, future President and CEO of Konecranes Plc.

Developed by Navayuga Infotech, a company based in India, in collaboration with their South African partner Nambiti Technologies, the IPMS is a strategic project that aims to support the broader objectives of the Transnet Market Demand Strategy (MDS) in terms of efficiency and productivity.

The project will cost TNPA around R79 million for the entire system, for all eight South African ports, covering concept development, architecture, implementation and rollout.

TNPA Chief Executive, Richard Vallihu, said: “Since 2008, various feasibility studies were undertaken where we identified the need for an automated and web-based system to improve port operations, strengthen efficiencies and enhance competitiveness. This online system will help transform our ocean gateways into smartPORTs by using advanced information technology that will make them more intelligent and sustainable, while conserving resources, time, space and energy.”

The system replaces manual processes, with key port operations now set to be automated, online and in real time.

Vallihu said the IPMS was benchmarked against Malaysian and Singaporean ports which were among the world’s most efficient. The IPMS system will be a groundbreaking initiative in that for the first time in the world a system such as this is integrated across multiple ports on a single platform.

“For us as a customer-focused organisation this state-of-the-art information technology will ensure that port information and processes are transparent and easily accessible to users throughout the South African port logistics chain,” he said.

Yugen Reddy of Sharaf Shipping Agency was excited about being able to work more efficiently. “My role as an agent is to make sure that ships are in and out of the port as quick as possible because time is money. With IPMS we will be able to use our smart phones or tablets while we’re out and about to update the system and get acknowledgment from TNPA on the spot with regards to sailing or berthing of vessels,” he said.

Vessel agent, Londa Small of Thembani Shipping agreed. “I am optimistic about the IPMS system because everything’s going to be in real-time enabling quicker turnaround,” he said.

IPMS will link to Transnet Freight Rail’s Integrated Train Plan (ITP) and Train Execution Management System (TEMS). It is also integrated with global systems such as Lloyds Register, AIS (for vessel traffic management), IPOSS (for weather), EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and SAP (for business operations, customer relations and finance). From Durban the project team will move on to Cape Town and Saldanha, then Port Elizabeth, Ngqura and East London and finally to Richards Bay and Mossel Bay. TNPA conducted daily intensive training for internal and external users at the Maritime School of Excellence in Durban during June.

The dam is operated by Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL). The dredge has a mixture production and solids production of approximately of 5,000m3/hr and 1,500m3/hr using an IDRECO designed IDP 600 pump.

The INGA dam is the largest hydro-dam in Africa and generates approximately 1,775 megawatts of electricity. Like many hydro and water reservoir dams in the world that are over 30 years old, sedimentation build up has reduced the electrical generation capacity of the hydro-dams by reducing water flow through the turbines. In reservoirs, sedimentation build up has reduced the water capacity of the dams, which affects supply for drinking water, irrigation, fish population, as well as increasing the potential of toxic algae blooms. By removing the sediment deposit with this high volume dredging technology, SNEL, after 2-3 years, will resolve their reduced electrical generation problem and depending on the dredging production hours the remainder of the dam area can be cleaned together with the existing Idreco dredger type ISD 550, with a 20 meter digging depth.

SNEL contacted Idreco because of their experience and know-how to help them with a state-of-the-art dredging solution to clean the sediments in an efficient way, knowing that jet dredgers are the most efficient mining solution for this material at these digging depths. “By using the electricity of the hydro-dam, the energy costs stay very low, are very effective and environmentally friendly”, says Wim Snippe, Managing Director of Idreco. He personally guided the whole project with his team and has wide experience in dredger construction and operation.

IDRECO’s deep digging dredges provide solutions for the removal of sediment, so that the hydro-dams and reservoirs productive life can be extended for an additional 30 years or more. “We are not just delivering ‘modern dredging solutions’ for dredging in mining and hydro-dam areas”, states Wim Snippe, “we are working as partners with our customers, to maximize production at the lowest cost per m3 in the most efficient way.”

IDRECO utilizes frequency drives on all of its dredge motors and has its own proprietary Dredger Control and Digital GPS Sonar Systems, which allow customers the option to remotely check and operate the dredge. Idreco can remotely troubleshoot and provide optimum performance of the dredge via the installed DCS and remote communication systems. This also allows Idreco to advise the customer about possible maintenance issues and improved operation of the dredger. Idreco maintains adequate spare parts inventory for quick delivery to minimize down time.

IDRECO designs, builds, and installs electric and diesel electric dredgers up to 200 meters in dredging depth with a solid volume production greater than 6000 m3/hr.