PSA Sines unveils electric aRTGs as it powers towards greener operations

PSA Sines, which operates one of the largest container terminals in Portugal, is making headway with its terminal automation efforts having welcomed into the fleet six new fully automated rubber-tired gantry cranes (aRTGs) powered by electricity.

The advanced cranes are joining the existing fleet of twenty-nine yard cranes, paving the way for PSA Sines to ramp up its operations and bolster safety and productivity.

The investment is part of PSA Sines’ EUR 412 million Phase III expansion project, which has also seen the addition of two ship-to-shore quay cranes and 12 new prime movers. The shift from diesel to electricity is at the heart of the terminal operator’s sustainability targets to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2050.

The cranes were ordered back in March 2023 from Konecranes, and will now undergo a period of on-site testing and commissioning.

According to Konecranes, the automated RTGs can stack up to five containers, instead of only three with straddle carriers. Furthermore, truck handling and exceptions will be managed via a remote operating station to increase safety, by minimizing man-machine interaction.

“These state-of-the-art cranes represent a significant leap forward in our terminal operations, combining cutting-edge automation technology as we advance towards our sustainability ambitions. PSA Sines will progressively incorporate fully automated remotely operated equipment which is electricity-powered to further reduce our carbon emissions,” Ricardo Sobral, PSA Sines’ Head of Engineering, said.

Since the initiation of upgrading efforts in 2000, PSA Sines has invested over EUR 370 million in modernizing its facility. Currently, the terminal has an installed capacity of 2.7 million TEUs. According to PSA International, the company’s parent, PSA Sines is the only terminal in Portugal with the capacity to receive the world’s largest container vessels.

Upon completion of its expansion in 2030, the terminal’s annual handling capacity is expected to nearly double, reaching 4.2 million TEUs.