TRIESTE – HHLA’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) is stepping up automation with three new remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes.
The new cranes have been delivered to Hamburg’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), bringing the total number of highly automated cranes already in operation or being integrated to six. The aim is to increase operational efficiency and improve flow management.
Built by Liebherr, the cranes arrived by sea aboard the vessel ZHONG REN 122, partially assembled, from Ireland to Hamburg. Once raised into position, they reach a height of up to 120 metres and have an outreach of around 70 metres, allowing them to handle container ships of up to 16,000 teu. Discharge and installation at the terminal will take place over the next few days, while entry into service is scheduled progressively by the end of the year. The three new units join identical models already integrated into operations. The industrial plan calls for the full replacement of the terminal’s 14 quay cranes with remotely operated units by 2030.
According to project manager Johannes Busenbach, experience gained with the first cranes has already helped optimize the integration phases for the new machines. At the same time, staff training is continuing and being extended to a growing number of operators in order to ensure operational continuity and prepare the terminal for new technological standards. The cranes will operate entirely by remote control. Operators will work from ergonomic office-based workstations after undergoing dedicated training programmes. Specific schemes have also been developed for supervisors and lashers, as automation significantly changes operational processes.
From a technological standpoint, the system integrates automated loading and unloading procedures and an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) system for the digital identification of containers. This enables faster handling times and better data integration within the terminal’s IT systems.
