Global Projects & Case Studies

Background

A rapidly growing container terminal in Southeast Asia experienced a significant increase in annual container throughput due to the expansion of regional manufacturing exports and rising feeder vessel traffic. The terminal's existing yard equipment, consisting mainly of reach stackers and older yard cranes, struggled to maintain operational efficiency during peak periods.

To support its expansion plan and improve container stacking density, the terminal authority decided to modernize its container yard by introducing high-performance Rubber Tyre Container Gantry Cranes (RTGs) capable of handling both import/export containers and transshipment cargo.

The project involved the deployment of multiple RTG cranes across newly developed storage blocks within the terminal's container yard.

The Challenge

Before the upgrade, the terminal faced several operational challenges:

1.Limited Yard Capacity

The existing container storage arrangement relied heavily on reach stackers, resulting in low stacking density and inefficient use of available yard space.

2.Increasing Vessel Turnaround Pressure

As cargo volumes continued to grow, containers accumulated in the yard faster than they could be organized and dispatched, creating bottlenecks that affected vessel loading and unloading schedules.

3.High Equipment Operating Costs

Older yard-handling equipment consumed significant amounts of fuel and required frequent maintenance, increasing overall operational expenditure.

4.Safety and Visibility Concerns

Heavy traffic involving trucks, forklifts, and reach stackers within the yard increased the risk of accidents and reduced operational efficiency during night shifts

The Solution

After evaluating several yard-handling solutions, the terminal selected a fleet of advanced Rubber Tyre Container Gantry Cranes designed specifically for intensive container stacking operations.

Main Specifications

The RTG cranes were installed in dedicated container storage blocks and integrated with the terminal operating system (TOS) to enable real-time container tracking and optimized yard planning.

Advanced positioning technology and automated steering assistance allowed operators to achieve precise container placement while reducing handling time.

Key Advantages

1.Increased Yard Utilization

The RTG cranes enabled higher stacking configurations compared with reach stacker operations, significantly increasing container storage density without requiring additional land expansion.

2.Faster Container Handling

High-speed hoisting, trolley travel, and gantry travel functions reduced cycle times and improved truck turnaround efficiency throughout the terminal.

3.Lower Operating Costs

The diesel-electric hybrid design reduced fuel consumption compared with conventional diesel-powered equipment, resulting in substantial annual operating cost savings.

4.Improved Safety

Features including anti-sway control, obstacle detection systems, CCTV monitoring, and operator assistance functions enhanced safety during both daytime and night operations.

5.Enhanced Equipment Reliability

The use of internationally recognized electrical components, intelligent diagnostics, and predictive maintenance functions minimized unexpected downtime and improved equipment availability.

6.Flexible Yard Management

The rubber tyre design allowed the cranes to move freely between yard blocks, providing operational flexibility during seasonal traffic peaks.

The Result

Six months after commissioning, the terminal reported significant performance improvements:

1.Container yard storage capacity increased by 38%

2.Average truck turnaround time reduced by 27%

3.Container handling productivity improved by 32%

4.Vessel berth occupancy efficiency increased by 21%

5.Fuel consumption for yard operations decreased by 24%

6.Equipment availability consistently exceeded 98%

7.Annual container throughput capacity increased from 420,000 TEU to 560,000 TEU

The successful implementation of the Rubber Tyre Container Gantry Crane system transformed the terminal's container yard operations, allowing it to accommodate future cargo growth while maintaining high productivity, safety, and cost efficiency.

Today, the terminal continues to utilize the RTG fleet as a core component of its container handling infrastructure, supporting reliable logistics services for regional and international shipping lines.