The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Malaysia is a joint venture between MMC Corporation Berhad (70%) and APM Terminals (30%). PTP is well known as one of the largest transhipment hubs in the world, handling 11.2M TEU in 2021. It operates on a single linear wharf, with 14 berths on 5.04 km of quay. PTP’s container yard has a slot capacity of 240,000 TEU and is served by a massive fleet of 172 RTGs and 518 prime movers (terminal tractors).

Over a decade ago, PTP implemented an RTG scheduling system from another vendor. More recently, the terminal has deepened its collaboration with Navis for operational software. After a successful upgrade to the Navis N4 TOS in 2019, PTP and Navis have worked together on several other products that the terminal operator said “improve safety, efficiency and reduce waste”. These include software for lashing and pinning, smart apps for reefer management and hatch clerks, OpsView and part of the Navis current analytics solution.

“Following this success, we looked at areas of improvement and agreed that RTG optimisation was an area in need,” said PTP. “With a good track record and proven products, PTP is confident that collaboration with Navis can continue to benefit both companies moving forward.”

Yard challenge

Managing and balancing the yard work across a very large fleet of RTGs presents many challenges, including determining how many RTGs to deploy to effectively support yard peaks while balancing the workload as evenly as possible across all the machines. For PTP, these issues need to be man- aged on a very large scale. Of the fleet of 172 RTGs, PTP needs to deploy 140 to 150 machines per shift. This “required significant human interaction to ensure the operation ran smoothly”, the terminal operator said. “Manual tasks included providing the correct work zone on the RTG driver’s screen, proper prioritisation of the work on each RTG screen, and, importantly, looking ahead to ensure the right RTG resources were placed where they would be needed.”

The primary goal of the RTG optimisation project was to remove the need for significant human interaction in the RTG deployment and management process. “In addition, we needed to give the control back to our RTG operators instead of them being given jobs when requested,” PTP continued. “We needed a system that would look ahead on 40-plus cranes and determine re- source requirements in the hours ahead. We also needed an algorithm that would prioritise jobs automatically according to areas of highest demand and customer impact.

“Most importantly, we wanted a system that ensured our talented control room staff only had to manage exceptions and better spent their time looking for waste in the system to drive an efficient operation. Finally, we wanted a system that would utilise idle time and ensure the RTG could prepare and uncover upcoming load moves instead of waiting for the truck to arrive.”

CHE ranges

To achieve this, the Navis RTG optimisation module (RTGO) automatically applies container handling equipment ranges to the whole operation without human interaction. “Moreover, it automatically prioritises job lists ac- cording to productivity requirements. It also looks at upcoming workloads and suggests movements of RTGs between blocks. This will also be automated in future versions. Finally, it reviews all upcoming load and road moves for hours ahead, and when an RTG is idle, it assigns rehandlings to that machine instead of wasting time for both the RTG and truck when the load unit is required,” explained PTP.

To monitor performance, the RTGO features multiple KPI measures, including productivity per RTG, cycle time per prime mover and RTG block change. RTGO “has positively impacted all”, said PTP. “Most importantly, our RTG operators enjoy their control over their own job, which is evident during our engagements with the team.”

Commenting on the implementation, Joe Schofield, PTP’s chief operations officer, noted that the software has helped the terminal towards its goal to use technology to create a safer and more productive work environment. “Our recent accomplishment in becoming the first port in Malaysia to surpass the 1M TEU handling mark in a month is a good example of how enhanced visibility across all RTGs in our yard and upcoming jobs at our terminal enable us to take strategic action to enhance our efficiency, crane productivity and truck turnaround time. This simultaneously provides our workforce with an advanced tool to continue delivering best-in-class service for our customers,” he said.

It is interesting to note that creating a better work environment and productivity are the top goals for PTP. Yard planning software is often marketed as a tool to help reduce the amount of equipment deployed and thereby lower operating and capital costs. PTP said the focus of this project was not to reduce the number of machines deployed, but to lift RTG productivity to support STS cranes operating at a higher rate. “Therefore, quay crane productivity results in higher customer service levels, while also growing our terminal capacity and related throughput due to shorter port stays. We see this as a win-win for our share- holders and, most importantly, our customers,” concluded PTP.

The project is a good result for PTP as it moves forward with its digital strategy roadmap. “The transition of digitalisation and automation is speeding up in the entire maritime industry,” said Marco Neelsen, CEO of PTP. “To secure efficient, sustainable operations and business competitiveness, PTP has proactively invested in its assets and infrastructure, aligned with the PTP ESG agenda and digital strategy roadmap. PTP is committed to continue with the journey and further create sustainable value for our customers, shareholders and other stakeholders.”