Milestone Konecranes automation project goes live at Ports of Auckland
In June 2020 the first phase of the Ports of Auckland’s (POAL) straddle carrier (SC) automation project went live. By September, 26 container ships had been successfully serviced by the blended fleet of 24 enhanced manual SCs and 27 new automated Konecranes Noell Straddle Carriers (A-STRADs).
POAL’s primary aim for converting to automation in this phase is to increase the terminal’s capacity and move the annual terminal throughput from circa 900,000 TEU/year to 1.4 M TEU/year. POAL is New Zealand’s busiest import port. The cooperation between the terminal and Konecranes ensured container handling efficiency while reliability was not compromised throughout the ramp-up.
The fleet of manned SCs were equipped with additional safety control systems that work seamlessly with TBA’s TEAMS Equipment Control System. The new software ensures the entire fleet (whether manual or automated) can be supervised using one management system. Konecranes equipment and TBA’s terminal and equipment software work hand-in-glove so that simulations, testing and ramp-up are as seamless as possible. In this way optimal system performance is swiftly achieved.
Blending an entirely manual fleet of SCs (many already 10 years old) with the 27 new A-STRADs required several key changes to the port’s operations and infrastructure. The first stages of implementation included building the new truck gates operated by the A-STRADs and setting up an interchange area for the “handshake” between the SCs and A-STRADs. As a world-first this development was a key focus area for the team.
The project has demanded a flexible, end-to-end automation solution executed through agile cooperation between Konecranes, as premier automation system provider, port terminal software pioneer TBA Group and POAL’s team of operations, infrastructure, IT and systems specialists.
This project is part of Konecranes’ Path to Port Automation, where container terminals improve productivity and safety in manageable steps. From smart features up to full automation, the path can include supervised operation and remote operation to smoothly introduce the power of automation. The path to port automation applies to all container handling equipment brands.
Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2019, Group sales totaled EUR 3.33 billion. Including MHE-Demag, the Group has around 17,000 employees in 50 countries. Konecranes shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.
