Both traditional and innovative, this is how container handling technologies look like

When it comes for container handling technologies, the two factors that everything gravitates around are speed and weight. Different said, the more you improve the operation speed of the cycle and increase the volumes to be operated, the more performing the machine is. This is an opinion that market players also share.
“RTG cranes have a unique system of winding the lifting cables which enables a performing anti tilting effect when the winch or the crane moves or when the container is moved”, said the representatives of Liebherr (Germany), one of the largest manufacturers of construction machines in the world. Consequently, Liebherr RTG cranes can lift with up to 35-40% heavier volumes than the RTG cranes with a standard winch. “Rolling systems with 8 or 16 wheels are available which means a lifting height of one to six containers”, the same sources said. In addition, Liebherr, a EUR 7 Billion player in turnover in 2009, can manufacture two types of the above-mentioned machines: rail-mounted gantry cranes and rubber tired gantry cranes for containers. The basic features of the two types of cranes are joined in performing operating systems in terms of work speed, lifting and moving 40 to 65-tonne volumes, movement control and automatic command. “The technologies used to move containers are the traditional ones in the intermodal industry and include rail elevators and, at broader scale, the RPG cranes”, said Ivan Lokere, CEO Alinso Group, the Belgian group which develops Ploieşti West Park.Moreover, the local market includes several internationally-renowned companies that manufacture such equipments, such as Bergerat Monnoyeur, Hunday and Rail Runner. These companies have been active for a long time, although the specific industry is not as well-developed in the region as for example in Western Europe and Asia. Nothing unusual, especially since the containerisation phenomenon has been discovered relatively late and has begun developing in the past 50 years. In consequence, transport costs have fallen a lot and the demand for such tools has increased, proportionally with the incomes of the manufacturing companies.

What do statistics say?

According to market statistics, if in 1959 the work productivity in docks was estimated at 0.627 tonne/worker/hour, in 1976 this indicator grew to 4,234 tonne/worker/hour. Also, the average time ships  stand in berths dropped from three weeks to 18 hours. In addition, if during the ‘50s a cargo ship carried an average of 10,000 tonnes of freight at a speed of 16 knots, with the implementation of containers, the volumes carried reached 40,000 tonnes at a speed of 23 knots. In conclusion, the sustained growth of this market, especially before the outburst of the financial crisis, has enable large container handling tool manufacturers to add new technologies and techniques to their offer year by year and increase their business volumes. This was also an opportunity turned into account by some companies specialising in operation systems, such as Vahle, present in more than 30 countries.
On the other hand, trusting that the worst economic period has passed and seeing growth signs in more and more economic branches, the recovery of this market to the alert rhythm of the years prior to 2008 is also to be expected. Consequently, specialist analysts believe competition on container handling market will also grow. And so on, as long as the speed and the handled weight need improvement, companies will struggle to expand their market share using new programs and technologies.

[ by Ionela Micu ]
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