CONTAINER HANDLING CONTAINER HANDLING

AUTOMATION AND ELECTRIC DRIVES A POWERFUL UNION FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Dr.-Ing. Armin Wieschemann, Senior Director of Global System Development, , Düsseldorf, Germany

In recent years there has been moderate under pressure to provide good working At greenfield terminals, the majority annual growth in global container handling conditions, appropriate training and labour of automated stacking yards have been volumes – reaching around 700 million contracts that are drawn up according to realized with automated rail mounted TEU in 2017. Meanwhile, the capacity agreed, clearly defined regulations. gantry (ARMG) cranes in an end-to- of the world container vessel fleet has As part of this evolving path, the end, perpendicular configuration. In the increased considerably to over 20 million application of state-of-the-art electric Middle-East and Asia, the configuration of TEU. Shipping lines are also increasingly drive technologies will be instrumental in automated stacking yards is often a parallel operating in global alliances, giving them building sustainable automated container lay-out arrangement with cantilever RMGs, scope to optimize their services and increase terminals that can meet future business allowing a remote-controlled interchange their buying power. For container terminals and societal demands. (waterside and interchange). this has resulted in noticeable reductions in Over a decade ago, a terminal operator handling rates, larger operational peaks and STATE-OF-THE-ART AUTOMATION in Australia installed an automated straddle more idle time in waterside operations. As of today, there are almost 30 terminals carrier operation. In recent years two new, Shipping lines and inland transportation with a working automated container mid-sized terminals in Australia and one on companies now require terminals to handling system, with (or without) the West Coast of the US applied automated increase their handling performance and automated horizontal transportation of straddle carrier technology. Most recently, provide predictable, shorter turnaround containers, with centralized control systems the next logical chapter in the automation times. and some kind of automated gate control of container terminals using straddle In the big picture governments, incorporating features for automated carriers has begun at the Port of Auckland, port authorities and society at large container ID and X-ray inspection. The New Zealand. Here 27 new, fully automated are demanding greater environmental implementation of automation in terminals straddle carriers (A-STRADs) are being control, sustainable design and the use of has developed slowly, despite the clear delivered, and 21 existing manual straddle renewable energy. The use of casual labour benefits from cost savings and predictable carriers are being upgraded to automated is diminishing and terminal operators are operations. operation so that they can work hand-in-

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Figure 1: Konecranes container handling equipment (RTG, AGV, straddle carrier)

hand with the automated straddle carriers. container suppliers provide drive trains, supplied with either lead-acid This highlights a key advantage of electrically driven automated rail-mounted or Li-Ion batteries. The much better energy- A-STRAD technology: the ability to convert gantry cranes (ARMGs) and automated efficiency of fully-electric drives is another existing, mid-size brownfield terminals to rubber-tired gantry cranes (ARTGs), major advantage, when compared with full automation. Every such terminal is a connected to the public electrical grid diesel-electric drives, the overall energy- special case, however, requiring special through busbar systems (RTGs) or cable reel efficiency is more than two times better. study and measures. systems via medium-voltage, flexible cables On top of that, battery-powered AGVs The main drivers for adopting automation with optical fiber cores for high-speed data have zero energy consumption during are: communication. operational stand-still periods. • Greater control over logistics, supporting For free running container handling The availability of large Li-Ion batteries priority-based scheduling and last- equipment the diesel engine is still the for industrial mobile equipment will further minute changes dominant power source. For straddle increase eco-efficiency. Current lead-acid • More predictable and reliable carriers, RTGs (late 1970s) and AGVs (in the batteries have a charging efficiency of 72% operations, less dependence on the 2000s), diesel-electric drive trains improved which will increase to about 85% for Li- skills of crane operators energy consumption, reliability and reduced Ion batteries. Battery technology has the • Cost reductions, higher and more maintenance costs (see figure 1). built-in advantage of recuperating braking consistent service quality, less damage The demand for better energy efficiency, energy. The Li-Ion battery technology caused by accidents emissions control and reduced fuel costs increases the recuperation rate to a great • Reduced liability for injuries, reduced has resulted in the application of new extent. losses due to sickness, reduced technologies from other industries, such as: To use AGVs heavily, a battery capacity vulnerability to labor shortages • Energy recuperation through energy of gross 360kWh is required, allowing 18- To achieve full terminal automation, it storage systems (e.g. batteries and 20 operating hours after which the battery is necessary to integrate the automated super-caps in RTGs) has to be charged or exchanged with a fully equipment and all of the related sub- • Electric drive trains powered by on- charged one. Up to 2015, the large battery systems into one efficient, reliable board batteries, a proven technology capacity needed for AGVs could not be met automated terminal system. This is a major, for electric trucks, warehouse economically with Li-Ion batteries. Today, complex challenge. In the early days of vehicles and, more recently, AGVs and large Li-Ion batteries have become cheap terminal automation, terminal operators certain terminal tractors enough to use in AGVs. Lead-acid batteries themselves took on the job of integrating • Combustion engines fueled with have stayed in the price range of 100…160 all of the various parts. Recent terminal “environmentally friendly” Compressed $/kWh, and Li-Ion-batteries have dropped automation projects have emphasized the Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural to an acceptable 400…1200 $/kWh. need for a well-planned, well-structured, Gas (LNG) The high eco-efficiency of battery- timely integration of all sub-systems • Hybrid drives consisting of a combustion powered drives gives a 50% decrease in and components. Computer simulation engine, a generator, a transmission, a Greenhouse Gases (GHG), compared with tools have proven to be of great value smaller energy storage device and an diesel-electric drives when powered with in the planning, testing, and personnel electric motor conventional primary energy sources. training involved in the successful go- The big picture of terminal economics Moreover, a fully-electric drive train will live of automated container terminals. is very affected by fuel consumption per give zero emissions when powered by solar, Increasingly, terminals use specialized operating hour, fuel cost, maintenance cost, hydro or wind turbine power. companies to do the integration. equipment availability and the cost of fuel storage, fuel supply and safety measures. BATTERY CHARGING CONCEPTS DEVELOPMENTS IN E-DRIVE In this respect, a fully-electric drive train Continuous (24/7) terminal operation TECHNOLOGIES offers by far the best energy-efficiency and requires the exchanging or recharging Many port authorities and governmental lowest maintenance cost. Nowadays, there of empty batteries. Recharging takes 6-8 transportation bodies are increasing is great scope to design equipment along hours for lead-acid batteries and 1-2 hours the pressure on container terminals to eco-efficient lines, reducing or avoiding the for Lithium-Ion batteries, causing significant use sustainable and "environmentally use of fossil fuels. This is strongly supported equipment downtime. There are two ways friendly" technologies. This is prompting by recent developments in electric drive to ensure continuous operation: terminals to search for alternative drive technology. 1. Install quick-charge equipment and technology for their container handling Konecranes’ experience with diesel- purchase more mobile equipment to equipment. electric drive trains triggered the compensate for equipment downtime For automated stacking operations, development of zero-emission, fully-electric during quick-charging. The quantity

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Figure 2: Battery exchange station with 2 AGVs, rack feeder, battery chargers, battery rack and maintenance area

of additional equipment needed is analysis for this case was carried out. It zero emission operation possible when the determined by the ratio of battery was learned that the reduced battery cost electricity is supplied from hydro, solar or recharging time to operating time. of the next-generation Li-Ion batteries and wind power sources. The quick-charge installations provide the improved automated quick-charger redundancy and their locations can design outperformed the current concept This paper is an abridged version of a longer be selected so as to minimize mobile of lead-acid batteries and Battery Exchange paper available on the PTI website equipment travel for charging purposes Stations. 2. Install a battery exchange station, In the future, it can be expected that preferably with automated battery the Total Cost of Ownership results for exchange into and out of the mobile battery-powered vehicles will become ABOUT THE AUTHOR equipment (see figure 2). Due to the even more favorable. The choice ratio of equipment investment/battery between lead-acid batteries and Battery After finishing a Master’s degree in investment in the case of lead-acid Exchange Stations or Li-Ion batteries and Mechanical Engineering and attaining batteries, this solution has proven to automated quick-chargers depends upon a Doctor’s Degree from the Technical be more economical for container many variables. Case-by-case, Total Cost University of Aachen, Dr Wieschemann terminals as can be seen in four of Ownership analyses will need to be joined Gottwald Port Technology, which terminals recently equipped with some carried out. Both concepts are viable was taken over by Terex Port Solutions, 200 battery-powered AGVs and valuable in transferring operations which in turn recently merged with As of 2010, the Port Authorities of away from fossil fuels towards renewable Konecranes. Dr. Wieschemann manages Hamburg, Long Beach and Rotterdam energy sources. a team of engineers who are responsible required sustainable designs for their for the planning and design of handling terminal expansion projects. Some CONCLUSION systems, the improvement of existing terminals in these ports selected battery- Regardless of automation, the container systems and the development of new powered AGVs for their automated handling industry is increasingly focusing technologies for terminals. waterside transport. on electric drive technology in order to The selection of battery type and reduce costs and improve sustainability. ABOUT THE ORGANISATION operating concept (battery exchange or This will increase the purchasing volumes of recharging) was based on a total cost of electric drive train components and reduce Konecranes is a world-leading group of ownership (TCO) approach that compared their cost. lifting businesses, serving a broad range of electric drives with diesel-electric drives, Li-Ion and other battery technologies will customers, including manufacturing and assessing the various electric parameters develop further and become even more process industries, shipyards, ports and (battery type/size, charging provisions, applicable to large industrial vehicles. The terminals. Regardless of your lifting needs, operating time, planned outage algorithms, development of Li-Ion technology is already Konecranes is committed to providing you transformer capacities, peak loads, etc.). very promising thanks to its short recharging with lifting equipment and services that In the last five years, the TCO comparison time and greater capacity. However, the increase the value and effectiveness of analysis of diesel-electric vs. fully battery- selection of battery technology type and your business. powered vehicles clearly showed a much size should always be made on the basis of better result for the battery side. The a careful TCO analysis. ENQUIRIES reduced energy cost and the much lower It is to be expected that fossil fuel prices maintenance cost strongly compensates for will steadily increase over the long-term Konecranes Plc the slightly larger initial investment. due to growing scarcity and higher taxation. P.O. Box 661 (Koneenkatu 8) A first contract for the delivery of 25 Li- Therefore, we can expect a growing trend FI-05801 Hyvinkää, Finland Ion battery-powered AGVs and 6 automated of investment in renewable energy sources, Tel. +358 20 427 11 quick-chargers for the fully automated CTA which will make it more economically Fax +358 20 427 2099 terminal in Hamburg is a new concept for feasible to transfer to fully-electric, battery- http://www.konecranes.com battery-powered mobile equipment. A TCO powered drives. Today’s technology makes

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