Today, the first deep sea quay cranes of Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) will complete their two-month journey from Shanghai to Rotterdam.
With this special event, another milestone will be achieved in the development of the highly automated container terminal on Maasvlakte 2 that will open her gates in the second half of 2014. The deep sea quay cranes, built and delivered by Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC), will arrive at RWG in the morning, depending on the weather and the tide. With the arrival of these giants, RWG is a step closer to realising one of the safest, most sustainable and most innovative terminals in the world.
These 127.5 metres tall Super Post-Panamax cranes will operate on a deep sea quay of 1,150 metres. The cranes are specially designed to handle the newest generation of Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCSs). They have an outreach of 24 rows of containers wide and are equipped with a so-called double trolley system. This system makes it possible to unload a container from a ship onto an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) in two steps. Subsequently, the AGV will, fully automated, transport the container to a temporary stacking area on the terminal. In the case of the loading of the container ship, the reversed process applies.
Apart from two deep sea quay cranes, two barge/feeder cranes will also be delivered at RWG today. These cranes will be deployed on a 550 metres long barge/feeder quay. All the RWG’s quay cranes are fully electronic and remote controlled, an innovation which has never been applied on this scale yet. The process operators will monitor and assist the process of the loading and unloading of containers from the control room on the terminal.
The terminal will be operational in October next year. By then, the terminal will be equipped with 11 deep sea quay cranes and three barge/feeder cranes. In the coming months, the remaining cranes will be delivered at the terminal. According to planning, all the cranes will be ready to handle container ships in a swift, efficient and reliable manner by the end of April 2014.
According to Frank Keizer, Project Director of RWG , this day marks a very special moment for the organization. ‘ With the arrival of these cranes, every type of equipment is present on the terminal. At the moment, the construction of the Automatic Stacking Cranes is in progress and more than 25 AGVs have already arrived at the terminal. Soon, we can start the testing phase .’
Ronald Lugthart, Managing Director , added: ‘ The container terminal of RWG, one of the most modern terminals in the world, is starting to adapt its definite form. I am looking forward to the moment that all the separate parts on the terminal can be tested in conjunction.’
[mappress]
Press Release, November 25, 2013