1 Sphere

Container Terminal Automation

Container Terminal Automation

While the demand for designs of container terminals with part automation has increased significantly, some within the industry remain skeptical about the future of full automation. Despite the progress with system designs there is certainly a reluctance to commit to full automation and the use of automated Horizontal Transfer Equipment (HTE) – either AGVs or Automated Shuttle Carriers.

STS Crane Automation

STS cranes set the pace for the whole terminal and the productivity of STS cranes is extremely important for the commercial success of the whole container terminal.

Serving increasing number of larger ships requires taller cranes with wider reach. With this, the travel distance of the trolley increases and the cranes need to run faster to maintain the productivity level. The industry is also moving towards cranes that can handle multiple containers. STS crane automation makes these complex machines manageable for operators and terminal logistic systems, ensuring uninterrupted and predictable production.

Automation is also ‘machine-friendly’. It runs the operation smoother than a human operator and reduces damage to the equipment, and goods. This reduces maintenance costs for machinery, such as spreaders.

STS crane automation solution is available for all types of STS cranes and enables fully automatic cycle between the quay and the ship. It consists of the following functions:
  • Continuous load sway and skew control
  • Ship profiling and optimum path control
  • OCR identification of containers and vehicles for automated handoffs
  • Measurement of vehicle position and guiding of vehicles
  • Automatic container landing on platforms, ground and vehicles
  • Single interfacing with TOS for work orders, bay layouts, container and vehicle information.
Combining STS crane automation with remote operation from a centralized control room allows the crane capacity to be fully utilized at all times.

Automated Stacking Cranes

High stacking density and productivity are crucial for yard operations. When the speed and volumes are geared up at the quay, the container blocks in the yard get longer and wider, and need to accommodate more containers than before. Just upholding block productivity requires faster, larger and more advanced yard equipment. Under these circumstances a fleet of coordinated automatic stacking cranes offer superior flexibility and capacity to serve the quay and landside operations.

Stacking cranes equipped with  Intelligent automation are able to respond to varying seaside and landside volumes and ensure timely delivery of containers for quay and rail terminal processes. With automatic stacking cranes the whole cycle from pick-up to set down of a container, including road truck handling, is fully automatic. Therefore, each remote operator can supervise a large number of cranes, and the automated cycle allows the operator to perform additional tasks simultaneously depending on the company policies.

Thus, automatic stacking cranes enable higher productivity, safety and energy savings in yard operations.
  • Suitable for both end-loaded and cantilever cranes
  • Automated handover to all types of vehicles
  • Capability to interface with various terminal operating systems (TOS)
  • Optimum path overlapping horizontal and vertical motion
  • Efficient land utilization through accurate and high density stacking also in demanding conditions
  • Optimization and coordination of container movements in the block
  • Automatic housekeeping based on time constraints and work orders from TOS

Remote Operation

Operator in focus: Well-designed control room in combination with remote crane operation promotes operator alertness, productivity, collaboration and occupational health.

Automation and remote operation of all types of container handling cranes change the role of the operator. The operator is no longer for instance manually operating the cranes but instead supervises the automated process and manages exceptions from a control room typically located in the terminal main building. The control room should be designed with operator in focus to ensure that the operating environment facilitates for operator alertness and improved operator productivity at all times.

Remote Operation Benefits

Remote crane operation allows humans to be separated from big machines and moved from a dangerous and harsh working environment to the safety and comfort of a control room. Now the crane can run faster and ramp times and cycle times become shorter. This reduces the time needed for discharging and loading the ships, and prevents operators’ health problems caused by poor working environment.

Common remote operation solutions:
  • Allows all types of container handling cranes be operated from one control room
  • Separates humans from big machines
  • Provides safer, healthier and more collaborative working environment for crane operators
  • Provides better views via on-board cameras than what is possible from the cabin in situations like landing containers on a ship/vehicle or handling hatch covers close to ground
  • Allows the crane to run faster with shorter cycle and ramp times
  • Enables seamless operation without any loss of time at shift changes/breaks

Defining Automation

What does an “automated” container container terminal look like in 2020? Straddle carriers and RTGs can be automated but these are rarely used as the backbone for an automated terminal due to lack of density or poor performance from a rubber tyred interface compared with steel wheels running on a steel rail. Cantilever RMGs running parallel to the quay are a viable option in places with cheap labour (horizontal transport is still manual) or that have a lot of transshipment or have street trucks that frequently pull multiple trailers (and can’t back into an ASC buffer effectively). Container warehouses or terminals based on overhead structures may also be a viable option for very high density situations, but for most people an automated terminal implies the use of automated stacking cranes (ASCs).
 
ASCs are portal frame RMGs that load from the end of the stack. After picking a container from the end, the ASC gantries with the container to or from the desired storage position in the container yard (CY). These ASC storage blocks are typically arranged perpendicular to the quay, but this is not an absolute requirement. The powerful advantage of ASCs over other terminal options is physical separation of gate and vessel traffic, which allows use of automated transport from the quay to the container yard…
Stay in touch
Email us at
Call us

+447450543168
 

Copyright © 2020 1 Sphere Ltd.  All right reserved

Privacy Policy