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Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) has put a hybrid reachstacker from Konecranes into operation, the second of its kind worldwide.
The first was the prototype which has been operating in Helsingborg for four years while a third will shortly be delivered to the Contargo Terminal in Emmelsum.
The heavy-load stacker has a lifting capacity of 45 tonnes and consumes at least 30% less fuel than a comparable diesel-driven model in normal operation.
Bernd Putens, managing director of DIT, said: “We decided in favour of this machine because it will help to bring us nearer to our sustainability goal of reducing our CO2 emissions by ten percent by 2020.
“We are expecting the machine to perform just as well as diesel-driven reach stackers. Indeed, we expect substantial cost savings in the medium term due to longer maintenance intervals and fewer downtimes.”
The SMV 4531 TB5 HLT now in operation at Contargo has a drive consisting of a diesel engine, an electrical generator and an electric motor for driving.
The diesel engine has an engine power of 230 kW and runs at a maximum speed of 1,800 rpm in the optimal consumption range.
The regenerative electric motors provide the power for the drive and the lift system. Braking energy and load lowering energy are fed back into the system and stored for later use, cutting fuel consumption.
DIT, which is part of the Contargo Group, can store 10,000 teu. The trimodal terminal has two berths for barges and six railway sidings along with four container cranes and seven mobile machines available for handling.
At the facility, smaller reach stackers that consume less fuel are used to handle empty containers while to save energy, all vehicles have an automatic cut-off at 21 km/h.
The gripper arms of the reach stackers and the portal cranes have also been equipped with an automatic cut-off to prevent strong, energy-intensive acceleration and braking.
An LED lighting system has also been introduced at the terminal’s office building, and movement-activated sensors have been installed in some areas to ensure that lights are not left on unnecessarily.