misinformation

CARGO HANDLING NEWSLiebherr launches Pulser reach stackerLiebherr has launched a newreach stacker, the LRS 545Pulser. As previously suggested inWorldCargo News, the new machineuses a conventional straightboom instead of the uniquecurved “banana” boom of theLRS 645.The 4-high stacking LRS 645continues to be available, includingin the “LH” log handlingversion, but not with a curvedboom, even though it providesa natural negative lift capabilityfor container-on-barge handling,without the need for a boomhead extension.In the 10 years since the LRS645 was launched, Liebherr isunderstood to have sold around150 machines – a drop in theocean; last year alone the worldmarket for laden handling reachstackers is estimated at 1,800 machines.The company recognisedthat it needed to come up with aless expensive design that driverswould take to more readily.Interestingly, however, Pulserhas the same Liebherr hydro-static drive concept used in theLRS 645, because Liebherr alwaysaims to maximise its ownin-house production and technology.Technically, hydrostaticdrive is a great solution, but onoperational grounds, at least inthe opinion of some observers,it could prove to be a stickingpoint. One expert commented:“If Linde, the master of hydrostaticdrive, could not make asuccess of it with bigger trucks,what chance has Liebherr got?”The LRS 545 shown at thismonth’s TOC CSC Europe inRotterdam was headed for RavennaPort Authority in Italy,which will initially rent the machinewith a view to purchase.Around 10 machines will bedelivered to different terminalsfor proving trials and every effortwill be made to incorporatepositive feedback into series production.Obvious points includeprovision of shallow access stepswith handrail instead of a verticalladder, and perhaps cameras/in-cab monitor to enhance theAround 10 LRS 545s will be deliveredto terminals around Europefor six months of proving trials andto obtain wide feedback before seriesproduction begins next yeardriver’s rear view.The LRS 545 is available withthe latest Stage IV LiebherrD944 engine, developing 230kW at 1,700 rpm. For higherproductivity, Liebherr’s provenPactronic hybrid hydraulic drivecan be fitted, although it is notclear that faster speeds are reallyneeded on a reach stacker.The machine has an SWLunder the Elme 817 spreader of45t in the first row up to 4-high,with 40t in the fifth tier, and 31tin the second row up to 5-high(5 x 8ft 6in), or 4-high (4 x 9ft6in high). Standard options includean electrically driven forwardslide for the cab, to improvethe driver’s view when handlingtrailers or swap bodies under anElme combi-attachment, andfront support jacks. With jacksdeployed, second row capacityis increased to 35t without increasingthe tyres from 18.00-25to 18.00-33 size. Magna MB01tyres were fitted on the Ravennamachine unveiled at TOC CSCEurope.The LRS 545 is a productof Liebherr Maritime Cranes.Rostock is the main productioncentre, but machines can also besupplied from Nenzing and Sunderland,according to customerlocation. The reach stacker remainsLiebherr’s only lift truck,but it can readily be combinedin packages with the company’ssuccessful range of cranes.ZPMC receivessecurity clearanceZPMC has advised that India’sMinistry of Defence has releaseda “no-objection clearance for theinstallation of cranes by ShanghaiZhenhua Heavy Industries CoLtd (ZPMC)”.In a statement to WorldCargoNews, ZPMC said: “This is in relationto the two projects, ICTPL(owned by Gammon Group) inMumbai and DBGT (DakshinBharat Gateway Terminal PrivateLtd) in Tuticorin, which had bothsuspended the potential purchaseof ZPMC cranes due to restrictionsfrom the security clearancesystem.” The order for ICTPLconcerned six STS cranes and 20RTGs.The requirement for a securityclearance added another bureaucratichurdle at a time when Indiawas supposedly targeting reformto make infrastructure investmentsimpler. While the Ministry ofDefence has given clearance in thecase of these two projects, ZPMChas still not been able to determinewhether or not clearancesfor future orders will be required.Despite exhaustive enquires inIndia, Mr Li Qiang, general managerof ZPMC’s Indian branch,has been unable to find any lawsor regulations that set out theclearance requirements. Thereappears to be no procedure bywhich it can apply for a generalsecurity clearance, and ZPMCwill only know if such clearanceis required if a government officialdetermines this is the case. Nevertheless,ZPMC maintains thatit “shall endeavour to renew thesupply of high quality cranes andservices to all terminals and portsin India, as was the case prior tothis situation”.Finnish firms’ RTGsto Piraeus/EgyptKalmar and Konecranes haveboth booked repeat orders fromterminals for RTGs.Kalmar has announced a secondrepeat order for an additionalnine all-electric RTGsfromPiraeus Container Terminal(PCT) S.A. in Greece, a whollyowned subsidiary of COSCOPacific Limited. The deliveriesare scheduled for 2016. Kalmar’sprevious deliveries to the terminalconsisted of 12 E-RTGs in2013 and nine E-RTGs in 2015.Mr Li Jianchun, deputy generalmanager of PCT, commented:“These latest Kalmar E-One 2Zero Emission RTGs will beworking in the Pier III expansionarea, helping us to enhancecapacity in the yard. The E-RTGsapply new technologies that enhanceproductivity, reliability andflexibility, which we consider tobe tremendous achievements.The cranes will be manufacturedat Rainbow-Cargotec Industries,like the previous ones delivered byKalmar. We have been extremelysatisfied with both the cranequality and on-time deliveries.”The RTGs will be 9+1 rowswide, with a 41t SWL capacity.The all-electric system supportsKalmar’s “industry-leading” maintenanceinterval of 1,000 hours.In Egypt, Branch DamiettaContainer & Cargo HandlingCompany has ordered four newKonecranes RTGs. This will beKonecranes’ second RTG deliveryto Damietta, following sixmachines delivered in 2009.“The Konecranes RTG craneson order for Damietta are highperformance,16-wheel RTGswith a lifting capacity of 40t, astacking height of 1-over-5, anda stacking width of seven plustruck lane wide. The RTGs willbe equipped with KonecranesActive Load Control system,which prevents container swayand significantly improves containerhandling performance. Thecranes are scheduled to be delivered,fully erect, during the summerof 2016,” Konecranes stated.SLPA to buy cranesA crane tender is set to be issuedby the Sri Lanka Ports Authority(SLPA) shortly. The SLPA has investedUS$80M in the first 400mof a new 1,200m long quay at itseast container terminal, and workis nearing completion.As a state entity, the SLPAneeds government approval forlarge capital expenditure, and ArjunaRanatunga, Minister of Portsand Shipping, put forward a proposalto purchase four STS cranesand 12 yard gantry cranes. Thismonth, the Sri Lankan Cabinetapproved his proposal to procurethe cranes following the “internationalcompetitive bidding method”prescribed in its GovernmentProcurement Guidelines.APM Terminals call for“a sensor revolution”Speaking at this month’s TOCCSC Europe conference inRotterdam, APM Terminalshead of Design and Automation,Alex Duca, called for a “SensorRevolution” on container terminalhandling equipment. Theterminal operator wants to seesensors on all moving equipment,so it can use the powerof data to measure its businessperformance. APM Terminals isstriving for consistency of operationalprocedures across itsfacilities, and having data is keyto measuring performance inthis regard, and achieving improvement.Equipment and componentsuppliers are well aware of theInternet of Things, and monitoringsystems using sensor dataare available for everything frombrake components and cables, tospreaders and twistlocks. Speakingto WorldCargo News, Ducasaid APM Terminals does notwant to be overwhelmed withdata at the component level.The key, is data on the locationof all the equipment, includingexternal trucks, and people onthe terminal, in order to try anddrive standard operating proceduresthat make terminals bothsafer and more efficient.2June 2015