ZPMC delivers hybrid RTGs to Salalah
NewsAPM Terminals plans to have all 12 hybrid RTGs operational by the end of November.
ABB for MVII
APM Terminals has chosen to continue with the ABB crane automation system for its MVII expansion.
ABB will supply the control and automation systems for both the nine new STS cranes and three Barge Feeder Cranes that have been ordered from ZPMC for waterside operations, and the 62 Kuenz ASCs for the yard expansion for the second phase of APM Terminals’ flagship MVII Terminal in Rotterdam.
The STS and Barge Feeder Cranes are both larger than their counterparts for the first phase of the terminal. The lift height of the STS cranes has increased to 57.3m to allow for an extra container on deck, and the outreach has been increased to 72.4m to allow an extra row across the vessel.
These are important points to note. Other terminals often look to what Maersk, through APM Terminals, is doing at its own facilities as a strong indication of what vessel dimensions can be expected over the life of a crane. Although this has not always proved accurate in the past.
The Barge Feeder Cranes are much larger than the machines for the first phase. Lift height has been increased by 11m (to 33m) and the outreach increased by one extra row to 42m.
Like the STS cranes, the new Barge Feeder Cranes will be equipped with a portal trolley for twistlock handling, which was not included on the first two (Kalmar) Barge Feeder Cranes or the third unit, which was manufactured by Liebherr.
One-to-many
Almost a decade has passed since MVII (quickly followed by Rotterdam World Gateway) opened as the first terminals to deploy automation and remote control across all the STS cranes. Fredrik Johanson, Head of Sales and Marketing ABB Ports, said the industry has come a long way since then.
“More and more STS cranes are designed for remote operation from the start which enables a faster path to increased automation and a safer working environment for the operators. Today some terminals have started to benefit from pooling when remotely operating the STS cranes.”
Pooling for remote STS cranes was not a top priority in 2015, but Johanson stressed it is entirely possible today.
“STS cranes have a great potential for automation, and we will experience a fast transition to more automation of these cranes in the years to come. New camera and sensor technology with machine learning, AI and sensor fusion will drive automation and information management to enable higher levels of pooling and eventually autonomy where the operators will be supervisors and can turn their attention to improving processes and operations.
“With remote operation, terminals can achieve a higher level of operational flexibility with the possibility to connect any operator to any crane and saving time also at shift changes and making short breaks for the operators possible without interrupting the production,” Johanson said.
More is possible. ABB is confident technology today allows remote operators to work from anywhere.
“ABB systems are currently operating at DP World Jebel Ali in a multi-terminal setup where several terminals are connected to one common control room. From a technology point of view, the limitation lies in setting up secure network communication. It is also important to take into consideration the labour policies and strategies of terminal operators which set the boundaries of remote operation in each terminal,” Johanson concluded.
APM Terminals does not divulge much about productivity levels at its terminals, but continuing with STS automation and remote control at MVII is an endorsement of the technology that speaks for itself. From 2021 onwards, MVII has notched several impressive productivity records, including handling a call exchange of 9,233 containers in just over 36 hours.
This tops the challenge to handle 6,000 moves in 24 hours that Maersk Line CEO Eivind Kolding laid down to terminals at TOC Europe back in 2011, when Maersk was just introducing its new Triple-E class 18,000 TEU ships.
View from the terminal
Commenting on the journey with automation and remote control at MVII, APM Terminals noted that there are different critical success factors for a terminal running this style of operation.
“Successful implementation of automation and remote operation of STS cranes requires a different type of intensive support on the technical side,” noted APM, giving examples, such as employees with expertise on system integration and automation, and a very close cooperation with crucial suppliers.
“The mix between inhouse knowledge and external knowledge needs to be in balance. Besides that, cross functional collaboration becomes more important to ensure that improvement capability is used in the right areas and for the right topics.”
The terminal operator also observed that the working environment, including shift practices and the work culture of the terminal itself, must be addressed.
“With remote operation, besides the impact on actual working conditions for the operators, the function becomes more social, as colleagues are just around the corner. To ensure concentration can be kept at the right level, it is important to be able to have frequent breaks and ensure to rotate tasks. The role the operators play in the supply chain is a crucial one,” APM Terminals concluded. “It is important to be vocal on the full picture.”
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