Less than a year ago, the Georgia Ports Authority unveiled its first four electrified rubber-tired gantry cranes — the large overhead cranes that operate among the container stacks — making GPA the first port in North America to utilize this cleaner, more efficient method of operation.
Konecranes, Conductix-Wampfler and Georgia Power provided the cranes, the new power system and the electrical infrastructure, respectively.
The new technology reduces diesel consumption by 95 percent, according to GPA executive director Curtis Foltz.
Earlier this week, the GPA board OK’d the expenditure of $8 million to expand the electrification project to another 10 cranes. That will be enough to increase the cranes’ capacity from four container blocks to 16 and will give GPA the ability to work an entire ship from the container stacks with its electric cranes.
The transition to electrified cranes is an important milestone for Georgia Ports and the industry, Foltz said, adding that the port hopes to eventually convert all of its rubber-tired gantry cranes to electric power.
The project is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to increase the productivity and capacity of the port in environmentally responsible ways, said GPA board chairman Bob Jepson.
“At GPA, we are focused on serving customers and promoting economic growth, but doing it in a way that preserves and protects the environment,” said Jepson. “That’s why we are making significant investments in reducing diesel consumption, in more efficient container yard lighting and in storm water treatment that protects the Savannah River.”
Foltz said long-term plans call for retrofitting the Garden City Terminal’s fleet of diesel-powered cranes to use shore power via retractable arms that will link to a conductor rail system, bringing the total number of electrical gantry cranes 169 by 2022.
Repowering the cranes will be a multi-year initiative, requiring new cranes to be ordered with electric power capabilities and some older cranes to be retrofitted. When complete, the fleet of electrical cranes will allow the GPA to cut its use of diesel by nearly six million gallons a year, resulting in a net savings of nearly $10 million each year, even after the purchase of electricity is factored in.
While relying on cleaner, shore-based power to handle containers, the electric cranes feature the ability to automatically switch to diesel generators when moving from stack to stack. All functions are controlled by the ERTG crane operator.
Electric cranes are more reliable than diesel-powered versions with less downtime, GPA director of engineering Chris Novack said, adding that fewer hours of diesel-powered operation will mean reduced maintenance costs and extended diesel life.
The first of the newest electric cranes is expected to go online this summer.
Senior business writer Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for Savannah Morning News and Savannahnow. Reach her at 912-652-0324 or mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
SHIPPING SCHEDULE
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT MSC SHAULA Today
GCT XIN YANG ZHOU Today
GCT MSC SEATTLE Today
GCT MAERSK IDAHO Today
GCT CAFER DEDE Today
GCT VECCHIO BRIDGE Today
GCT MSC MAEVA Today
GCT HOUSTON EXPRESS Today
OT SALOME Today
GCT ZIM CONSTANZA Saturday
GCT JO KIRI Saturday
GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESS Saturday
GCT CGM UTRILLO Sunday
GCT HS BRUCKNER Sunday
GCT NYK RUMINA Sunday
GCT CLIPPER LANCER Sunday
OT TYSLA Sunday
GCT APL AGATE Monday
GCT MAERSK DETROIT Monday
GCT ROTTERDAM EXPRESS Monday
OT ANEMOS Monday
GCT HANJIN SHANGHAI Tuesday
GCT ZIM MONACO Tuesday
GCT ZIM ONTARIO Tuesday
GCT MSC ANTARES Tuesday
GCT MOL EFFICIENCY Tuesday
GCT OOCL KOBE Tuesday
GCT EVER DIVINE Tuesday
GCT NYK CLARA Tuesday
GCT FOUMA Wednesday
GCT MSC ESTHI Wednesday
GCT MOL PARAMOUNT Wednesday
GCT NAJRAN Wednesday
GCT MAERSK KURE Wednesday
GCT NYK ROMULUS Wednesday
GCT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE Wednesday
GCT HANJIN DUESSELDORF Wednesday
OT TUGELA Wednesday
OT BAHRI ABHA Wednesday
GCT ZIM SHENZHEN Thursday
GCT MAERSK OHIO Thursday
GCT VARAMO Thursday
GCT CSAV LEBU Thursday
GCT CMA CGM LA SCALA Thursday
GCT HOECHST EXPRESS Thursday