The Port of Virginia has made a deal with Kalmar, part of Cargotec, for sixteen hybrid shuttle carriers with a value of approximately US$ 14.6 million and includes an option for a further 40 units.
The new machines will be delivered to the Virginia International Gateway container terminal in the US.
Virginia International Gateway (VIG) terminal, located along the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, is operated by Virginia International Terminals LLC and under lease to Virginia Port Authority (VPA), which markets itself as The Port of Virginia, the fifth largest port in the USA.
VIG has been operating three Kalmar hybrid shuttle carriers since August 2015.
Testing performed by VIG and Kalmar over more than two years on the three hybrid machines already operating at VIG has demonstrated a significantly improved total return on investment compared with conventional diesel-electric machines.
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The Kalmar hybrid shuttle carriers consume almost 40% less fuel than comparable diesel-electric machines and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 50 tons per year per machine.
Rich Ceci, Senior Vice President, Technology and Projects for the Port Of Virginia, says: “Kalmar's proven track record of on-time turnkey delivery and excellent local support and servicing, together with the outstanding performance of our existing Kalmar machines, were significant factors in our decision to place the order.
“Our hybrid shuttle carriers have already helped us achieve significant cost savings and emission reductions without compromising productivity.”
Kalmar recently released its renewed 2060 vision of how cargo handling will take place at terminals.
