Uno Bryfors, Senior Vice President of ABB Ports, has explained why automation, remote operation and digitalization are bringing benefits to the container handling industry in the mega-age, with significantly increased lifting heights and trolley travel distances.
The second and final part of his London Eye interview with Port Technology has examined the consequences of rapid mega sizing with taller cranes and bigger ships over the last 10 years.
Bryfors has labelled last year as “the year of change” due to the actions of major container shipping lines, which consolidated to create efficiencies after suffering from years of losses due to overcapacity.
In a previous PTI video interview with Bryfors in 2014, he correctly forecasted that the number of ship calls at ports would fall due to investment in larger vessels that can carry more containers.
Bryfors is one of the most experienced professionals in the ports industry today.
During his career of more than three decades at ABB, he has been driving the development of automation solutions for cargo handling.
View automation solutions from ABB Ports in PTI’s Supplier Directory
In his latest interview, Bryfors said: “Looking ahead, the big calls require big improvements in the key terminal KPIs [key performance indicators].
“I expect less, but bigger terminals handling significantly more boxes per metre of quay wall and especially per hectare of land.
“This will, in many cases, have to be achieved by reequipping existing terminals.”
