Merford acquisition

Germany’s federal transport ministry BMDV (Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr) has awarded grants totalling €1.49M for two “smart port” technology projects

LSCT La Spezia Container Terminal (Contship Italia) has installed a patented acoustic alarm system to enhance safety of operations

Brigade Electronics Canada recently fitted noise abatement technology to the entire fleet of rubber-tyred gantry cranes at Termont’s Maisonneuve terminal in Montreal.

Brieda Cabins of Italy has developed a new crane console system called the Dynamic Control Station that it says can be scientifically demonstrated to have the lowest bio-mechanical load in the industry.

Driving a ship-to-shore container crane is one of the most demanding of all crane driving tasks. A container crane driver must travel with the load at relatively high speeds and acceleration, be accurate to within a couple of centimetres and maintain high cycle speeds. He is required to work relatively high over the load, without any assistance from the ground and operate at night and in foggy weather while the ship can also move, both vertically in a swell and also along the quay.

A crane is a long-term investment and terminal operators want the comfort of “future proofing.” Cranes of up to 65 tonne SWL, 22-wide outreach and 40m lift height above rail have become almost standard for terminals that want to be able to handle the largest ships in the future.