This white paper describes the possibilities and processes of converting a rubber tyred gantry crane (RTG) terminal to an automated operation (Kalmar AutoRTG).
Increasing the automation level of a terminal with products that automate a single part of the operation or the whole process is recognised as the next step towards improving performance at today’s container terminals. The benefits of automation include lower operational costs as well as improved terminal productivity, capacity, safety and security. Automating an existing RTG terminal is
a large-scale project that requires deep expertise, careful planning, a capacity for wide-ranging systems integration and the ability to consider numerous factors beyond the technical implementation.
Besides the actual automated system, there is also extensive change management within the entire organisation of the terminal, as operating an automated terminal requires a thorough change of
business processes as well as new skillsets for the people operating the terminal. One way to successfully address these issues is a stepwise approach in converting the terminal from traditional manual operation to automation. In this paper, we examine several of these topics, ranging from the financial impact of automation to terminal and infrastructure design, as well as organisational considerations.
