01/01/0001
The World`s Most Advanced STS Cranes
Vessels of over 10,000 TEU capacity represent the largest category of new ship orders, with 137 on order; including 34 of 18,000 to 20,000 TEU capacity as of January 2015. Only ports and terminals with sufficient depth (15 meters) and Super-PostPanamax Cranes (22-container reach) can accommodate these new larger vessels. APM Terminals Maasvlakte II Rotterdam is equipped with eight STS cranes which are the world’s first to be operated completely by remote control, with no operator present in the crane’s cab. They are also the world’s tallest STS cranes, capable of working vessels 60 meters wide (a 25-container wide reach) and 24 stories tall.
Operationally, the automated STS cranes move containers between vessels alongside the quay and the fleet of battery-powered Lift-Automated Guided Vehicles (Lift-AGVs) which transport containers between the quay and designated areas in the yard, including dedicated barge and on-dock rail facilities. A fleet of 26 Automated Rail-Mounted Gantry Cranes (ARMGs) positions containers in the yard in a high-density stacking system. A computerized terminal operating system is integrated with the Equipment Control System linking the automated vehicles and cranes to maximize operations and efficiency. Terminal productivity is projected to increase by as much as 40%, as the cranes handle up to 7,000 container moves per vessel call.