PTP steps up its drive for greater efficiency
by selecting Kalmar Smartrail to guide its RTGs
Already one of the most efficient container handling terminals in the region, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Malaysia has just taken a major step in further increasing its efficiency. PTP has decided to fit all 67 of its rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) with Kalmar Industries’ unique Smartrail autosteering and container verification system.
PTP CEO, Datuk Mohd Sidik Osman, commented:
“PTP presently handles the world largest container vessels, but current orders by lines are increasing today sizes and, as such, increasing pressure on terminals. With this system, PTP is able to ensure that the highest productivity standards will be met, thus enhancing the status of the port.
To PTP benefit, Kalmar is able to install Smartrail without interrupting the normal workings of the terminal. Kalmar has also successfully installed Smartrail in Jebel Ali for Dubai Ports Authority (DPA). DPA retro-fitted Smartrail to all of its existing RTGs plus six new machines, in order to maintain the port reliability and efficiency in a time of business growth.
Datuk Sidik added:
“PTP handled 2.51 million TEU from January to September 2003. We expect to record a full-year figure of over 3 million TEU and, as such, uninterrupted work in the terminal is crucial.
With both Maersk Sealand and Evergreen having their regional South East Asian hubs in PTP, the Malaysian port has grown rapidly since it was officially opened in January 2000. With its 2003 throughput, it expects to enter the World Top Twenty ports league and with the completion of PTP Phase Two in July 2004, it will have a potential capacity of 6 million TEU per annum.
Utilising Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) technology, Smartrail steers the RTG along ‘invisible’ tracks, relieving the driver of the need to steer and allowing him to travel at maximum speed between lifts and to concentrate fully on picking up and setting down containers. An integrated Position Detection System (PDS) increases speed and efficiency by automatically logging the new position of a container after it has been placed in the stack or moved from one position to another.
The Smartrail system is simple to install and maintain since there are no civil works such as buried wires, transponders or painted lines to be maintained. Installation of the Smartrail system is also extremely friendly in that it causes very little disturbance to the normal operation in the container terminal. Retrofitting is equally straightforward although some engineering work is required.
Kalmar Smartrail works also as a container position verification system: each time the spreader twistlocks are activated, the yard management system is automatically updated and the new position of the handled container is recorded. This provides significant improvements in operation quality and less time is spent looking for lost or misplaced containers.
Apart from this recent retrofit work involving RTGs originally built by other manufacturers, the majority of all of the Kalmar RTGs which have been ordered over the past two years have been fitted or retrofitted with the Smartrail system. These include cranes delivered to terminals in New Jersey, Oslo, Dublin, La Spezia, Dunkirk, Livorno, Kumport and St Petersburg.
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Kalmar is a global provider of heavy-duty materials handling equipment and services to ports, intermodal traffic, terminals and demanding industrial customers. Kalmar focuses on supplying handling solutions that enable customers to operate with a high level of efficiency and reliability. Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine.
Kalmar provides a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Manufacturing plants are situated in Sweden (as is the head office), in Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Malaysia, China and the USA.
For more information:
aija.kalander@kalmarind.com