Irish Dublin Ferryport terminals (DFT) invests in the automation of its cargo handling business by ordering a pair of modern RTG cranes.
The order was placed at the Cargotec subsidiary Kalmar, delivery is scheduled to start during second quarter 2017. As part of the container and[ds_preview] terminal division of Irish Continental Group, DFT handles approximately 325,000 TEUs each year and is anticipating significant growth of around 20 % over the next five years. The recent agreement »forms part of DFT‘s investment programme focused on ensuring the terminal is equipped with the latest technologies to support expected growth«, it was announced.
The scope includes two Kalmar AutoRTG cranes with fully automated stack operation and remote controlled truck handling. DFT will start with semi-automated functions which are controlled remotely, and add fully automated features in the stacking area in the future. Kalmar is also responsible for integrating the cranes to the terminal operating system. Service, maintenance and technical support will be provided by Kalmar‘s site based engineering team who have a permanent presence at the terminal.
Alec Colvin, General Manager at Dublin Ferryport Terminals said: »We are looking forward to extending our long-time partnership with the latest driver assisting, semi-automated and automated solutions.« According to the statement, the electric power system completely eliminates the need for engine component maintenance, which translates into much lower downtime and reduced maintenance costs. DFT‘s existing fleet includes five Kalmar RTGs, four Kalmar empty container handlers and a Kalmar reach stacker.
