Shenzhen's SCT reports e-RTGs provide 70pc cost savings

SHENZHEN's Shekou Container Terminal marked the introduction of electric-diesel hybrid RTGs with a celebratory conference and demonstration last Thursday, drawing representatives from government and even rival terminals.

The new RTG conversion saves money, SCT says, because it is able to reap savings of the more cheaply powered electric straddle carriers, or rubber tyre gantry cranes, by allowing the occasional application of more expensive but more flexible diesel-power. This combination preserved the old diesel efficiency and avoids bottlenecks that once stymied attempts at being green.

The key to the new system is the Auto Drive Device introduced by the German firm, Conductix Wamfler, allowing quick two-to-three minute change over from one power source to another instead of a 15-minute switch-overs that the bottlenecks in the past.

Before the new German firm's (Conductix Wamfler) conversions, the earlier cleaner, greener RTG were restricted like electric trams to a fixed trolley lines, unlike the go-anywhere, any time diesel straddle carriers that manoeuvred freely around the yard.

But with the Conductix Wamfler Auto Drive Device, the switch from one to the other is quick, eliminating significant downtime as the demonstration on the Shenzhen waterfront plainly showed. While the noise reduction was obvious, the point was lost by the loud warning claxons sounding during the demonstration because conference delegates stood near the moving giant machines.

"We have restored the flexibility that was lost," said Conductix global marketing chief Michael Eckle. "It represents savings because electricity is cheaper than oil."

SCT managing director Michael Zhou, who pointed out the inflexibility of the restricted version on an earlier visit, said the savings will be considerable now. "It costs CNY5 per lifting with diesel compared to CNY4 with electricity."

Another saving, said SCT chief operations officer David Wan, was that diesels cannot be stopped and started too often without risking damage to the engine and incurring extra cost. They also must be kept running to keep the cab air-conditioned. There are no such problems with electric motors, which only consume the power they need to run an air-conditioner for the driver's cab.

While the overall cost of the completed system was a "secret", SCT estimates that the conversion costs will be recouped in two to three years.

"There is even the possibility of returning power to the grid," said Alan Tang, Conductix's top man in Shanghai, "because when the container descends, gravity generates power. We have not done this, but they are doing it in Japan."

SCT has 70 e-RTGs, and has converted 46 hectares - 70 per cent of the terminal area - to the e-RTG operation. With more than 86 per cent of the facility powered by electricity, annual diesel oil consumption is reduced more than 3,118 tons and carbon monoxide emissions are down 9,884 tons, said an SCT statement.

Conference guests included rivals from Singapore PSA, Da Chan Bay Container Terminal, Guangzhou South China Oceangate, China Merchants' (major SCT shareholder) International Terminal Daxie Ningbo Port, Zhanjiang Container Terminal, Yingkou Container Terminal, China Merchants Port and Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding as well as a range of government officials, academics and industry association representatives.

Source: www.schednet.com