Savannah port adds 11 new fuel efficient RTGs

THE Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has completed the assembly of 11 new rubber-tyre gantry cranes (RTG) for its Savannah container port that have been designed to conserve 83,000 gallons of diesel a year.

Operating within a spectrum from 800 to 2100 rpm, these energy efficient container straddle carriers burn an average of four gallons of diesel per hour that equates into a 33 per cent fuel/cost saving compared with the older fleet of RTG's average consumption, a statement from the Georgia Ports Authority said.

"Our responsibility to be good stewards of the environment is a top priority for the GPA," said GPA executive director Doug Marchand. "As part of our environmental policy, the GPA looks at new capital improvement projects from the outset for ways to implement them in a more environmentally-friendly manner. On several occasions, we have improved efficiency, increased cost savings and reduced negative environmental impacts - all in the same project."

Over the next few weeks, the GPA said it will test two-speed upgrades on its older RTGs with the goal of achieving a more efficient level of energy use.

GPA chief operating officer Curtis Foltz said: "Refitting our fleet will enable us to take advantage of variable engine speeds and reduce fuel consumption, thereby decreasing per-hour energy use and emissions."

The release added that the GPA's entire fleet of container handling equipment is currently being retrofitted with engine exhaust enhancements to reduce air emissions as part of a US Environmental Protection Agency Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant.

Source: www.schednet.com