Domestic volumes continue to be strong. Alaska and Hawaii are up 7.9% and 18.1% YTD, respectively. As a region, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma are up 4.1% March 2012 vs. 2011 and down 1.9% YTD.

With a recent assessment of diesel usage confirming savings of up to 25% per crane, this investment in the RIS.GA. system is expected to give a return on investment (ROI) of well under three years!  Ever increasing diesel prices, and the new carbon tax, combine to make the savings very significant. Diesel generators onboard RTGs and mobile harbour cranes (MHCs) usually run at constant speed to provide the drive system and auxiliaries with a constant supply voltage regardless of whether the crane is in operation or stand-by.  RIS.GA. from Control Techniques is a drive-based system that manages the diesel generator, allowing its speed to be reduced during stand-by, whilst maintaining essential power for auxiliary and safety equipment.

The dedicated container terminal at the Port of Felixstowe handles over 3 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) per year and over 40% of the UK’s import and export trade passes through the port.  The container storage area is served by a fleet of 74 RTGs and is currently undergoing further development, hence the need for the new cranes.

The 12 RTGs fitted with the RIS.GA. system are rated at 40 tonnes under the spreader, have a hoist speed of 50 m/min, a trolley speed of 70 m/min, a gantry speed of 140 m/min and each is fitted with a 670 kVA diesel generator.  Each RTG will complete around 100,000 moves per year.

Control Techniques was already quoting the Port of Felixstowe authorities for drive retrofits, and was able to present a convincing case for installing their RIS.GA. system, estimating an ROI of two to three years.

Analysis of the RTG oil samples indicates that periods of idling have not been a problem and that savings have been very substantial, varying with duty up to around 30%, though generally averaging at about 25%.  The RIS.GA. software, pre-loaded onto a 37kVA Unidrive SP AC drive, is set to allow the diesel generators to run on for a minute before initiating run down to tick-over speed.  At tick-over, the diesel generators produce 300 v, which is boosted by the drive with RIS.GA. up to the 415 v required for operation of the auxiliary equipment.  When required, the diesel generator will run up to operational speed in 5 s.

The RIS.GA. system is very compact, and all twelve were supplied fully wired and assembled, and ready to connect in an IP65 protected stainless steel cubicle.  Each is fitted above the electrical house of its crane.  Control Techniques delivered each one when it was convenient to the Port of Felixstowe’s Engineering Department and carried out all of the electrical installation and programming.  As it is a static electronic system, it requires little or no maintenance.

RIS.GA. has been applied successfully on RTGs and MHCs throughout the world and is saving fuel on cranes manufactured by ZPMC, Kalmar, MGM-OMG, Doosan and Fantuzzi Reggiane.  In many cases, savings can be as much as 50% with ROI as short as one to two years, depending on local oil costs.  Proven reduced wear and stress extends the working life of the diesel engine, generator and electrical auxiliaries.

Control Techniques is part of Emerson Industrial Automation and has almost 30 years’ experience in supplying complete automation systems for port and factory cranes.  The company’s automation systems are proven in ports around the world and are supported by a global engineering network of specialist Drive Centres.

The Port of Felixstowe provides customers with a continuous quay of over 2.3 km, is equipped with 27 ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes, and has a further 730 m of quay and five more STS gantry cranes coming on line this year.  When completed, the reconfiguration of the southern part of the port will further enhance Felixstowe’s position as one of the leading container ports in the world.

The journey from Liverpool to Runcorn took just over three hours. Stephen Carr, Peel Ports Mersey’s head of business development for the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Ship Canal, said: “This is the latest development in our objective to increase usage of the Ship Canal as a logistics hub that drives down cost and CO2 emissions.

“The Port of Liverpool has seen a significant increase in container volumes over the last few months, much of which has continued the journey via our barge service to end-users – driven by supply chains looking for a lower cost solution to serve Northern and Central Britain. 

“Delivery of this project cargo from the Port of Liverpool to Runcorn is a departure in that is the first non-container cargo to use our barge service, and we are keen to expand and further develop that side of the business.

“This further increase in the use of the Ship Canal demonstrates the desire of many companies to use water to get their product as close to their customer as possible.”

Andrew Wormald, senior sales & operations manager at Abnormal Load Services Ltd, Peel Ports’ customer on this project, said: “The sheer size of this cargo made the use of road transport problematic, and the use of Peel’s barge service was the perfect solution. It also saved us on costs and carbon emissions for this leg of the journey from Holland.”

Cargotec secured the deal owing to the total solution it could deliver with high performance, eco-friendly products and excellent service proven over a longstanding relationship. Scheduled for delivery at the end of April 2012, the new models – Kalmar DRF 450-60S5 reachstackers, Kalmar DCF 100-45E7 and DCF90-45E6 empty container handlers – will be serviced at one of Cargotec’s service stations.

For ECT, state-of-the-art facilities and up-to-date information and communication technologies are vital for an optimum operational output, and the company constantly invests in new equipment and technology. The new equipment from Cargotec and service support fulfil ECT’s high criteria. The engines in the Kalmar reachstackers enable the customer to comply with the current emission legislation without sacrificing performance or fuel efficiency. The equipment will be used at the inland terminals of ECT.

The Kalmar reachstackers are fitted with the latest Volvo diesel engines which use Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to deliver near-zero NOx and harmful particulate emissions. This achieves compliance with the 2011 EU stage 3B and EPA Tier 4i emission regulations set for all off-road equipment powered by engines of 129kW and above. 

Significant reduction in emissions is achieved without affecting capacity or the level of productivity, safety and quality that Cargotec customers have come to expect. Furthermore, there is no increase in service intervals or costly downtime as the system is designed to last the lifetime of the engine.

Cargotec’s reliable and highly flexible Kalmar reachstackers make it easy for deepsea and inland terminals, including rail terminals, to handle containers with efficiency. The heavy duty DRF450-60S5 model selected by ECT boasts a capacity of 45,000kg, smooth automatic gearshift and smart operator controls.

Photo caption:
Kalmar reachstackers and empty container handlers will be used at inland terminals operated by ECT in Europe.