Technical Papers

Crane spreaders are one of the most highly stressed components in the handling process at container terminals. In addition to the requirements which have existed at all times, namely to produce as low standstill times as possible, the aspect of ever greater environmental considerations has gained more and more importance.

Since the implementation and ratification of the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC) in the UK, my company (Edge Group) has been involved in being a Marine Coastguard Tier II contractor for the South East of England. As a company with limited staffing resources involved in this type of work, it became apparent over the years that if for some reason additional back-up was required, be it personnel or equipment, where would it come from?

Continuous and increased demand for energy, development and construction translates into huge demand for bulk commodities of raw materials, food stuff, fertilizers and finished products. This trend has created an unprecedented demand for shipping transport and, consequently, for port services and related infrastructure at local, regional and global level.

At the 81st session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), the International Mar itime Organization (IMO) adopted an amendment to SOLAS Chapter V that introduces new obligations for ships regarding Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) in resolution MSC.202(81). This was not an easy decision, and the developments in LRIT are a result of many discussions dating from February 2002, as part of the ‘Security Package developed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of ‘9/11’’, including extensive deliberations at IMO supported by two workshops on ‘Global Tracking of Vessels’ held by IALA.

There are several varieties of yard cranes used in container terminals and these are mainly divided into two types: railmounted gantry cranes (RMG) and rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTG). Terminal operators must first establish the most suitable operation method for their yard when considering the characteristics of RMGs and RTGs, the main reason being RMGs are equipment operated by railway, while RTGs are equipment operated by rubber tires.

As General Manager of the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators, (SIGTTO) the reader may wonder why I have been invited to pen this article. The answer is that, as a technical society representing the interests of its members, the Secretariat needs to understand the business of its members and to keep abreast with developments in the industry. Our position does give us rather a unique view of the industry and this article arises out of the response to a question often asked of the Secretariat ‘what is the next major technology challenge for the LPG/LNG industry?’

The abstract is provided once again as refresher; part 2 continues with a highlight of three case histories, a listing of guidance on the implementation aspects of the Habitats Directive and on the good practices for ports.

Overview As X-ray cargo screening becomes more prominent at ports and border crossings, its impact on container traffic is frequently discussed. This is essentially a question of system throughput, which varies by the type of X-ray system chosen and how it’s operated within a port facility. Screening objectives X-ray cargo screening has been adopted at ports and border crossings throughout the world because this technology has solved a number of important problems. It first gained prominence for manifest verification, allowing countries to better enforce import tariffs. Authorities also found that the image quality achieved with X-ray screening allowed them to interdict contraband, including drugs, cash, weapons, and other illicit materials.

Introduction Motor-Generator set driven cranes were installed in the 1970’s and 80’s and continue to service ships all over the world. In many cases, the rotating equipment is in good working order but the electrical control packages have slowly deteriorated or have become obsolete. The existing controls are typically analogue and have been detuned for reliability and sensitivity to temperature variations. This reduces the crane’s performance and overall TEU production. Solutions are available to upgrade hese systems that correct the older system deficiencies and improve port productivity.

The importance of loading spouts is superbly encapsulated by the perceptive CEO of one of the world’s largest copper producers, as he peered down a ‘tiny’ 600 mm diameter spout and remarked ‘Our entire cash-flow depends upon, and will pass through, this tiny spout on its way to the world markets’. For a brief moment, it seemed as though the success of this multi-billion dollar development hung on the end of the shiploader boom. Of course, the same is equally true for each of the myriad of non-redundant items between the mine and the port, but this paper addresses the very last link in the chain, the loading spout fixed to the end of the shiploader or barge loader boom.

Background Recently, two crane boom failures occurred while the booms were being lowered; one in Asia and one in Europe. These failures called attention to recent boom collapse problems; however, this is not a recent problem. Over the years, a number of booms have collapsed and even more came close to collapsing. This article presents our understanding of these failures, a discussion of loading and reliability issues, and some recommendations.

Since 2005, ABB has been heavily involved in the simulator business. The primary reason that ABB chose to develop a simulator was that customers realised that training new operators was both difficult and costly and they often complained over lack of training time. Today’s organisations are much more streamlined than before and equipment is extremely expensive. And what company wants to risk training newcomers in machinery worth millions of dollars? These factors have led ABB to setting the goal of developing a product that will meet the highest possible standards.