Tianjin Terminal optimized with automated cranes

Date 05 December 2018

Five Continents International Container Terminal (FICT) located in Tianjin, China, has launched a modernization project with automation specialists ABB, in order to meet mega-age requirements. 

FICT is currently running at maximum of its designed capacity, which makes improving the efficiency of terminal operations by updating its fleet of manually-operated rail mounted stacking cranes crucial. As part of the upgrade initiative, ABB has rebuilt, automated and commissioned the first batch of cranes for production, with further updates scheduled for 2019. 

Tianjin is the 10th busiest port in the world, largest in Northern China, and a maritime gateway to Beijing, serving as a connection between Northeast Asia, Cental Asia and the Middle East. 

FICT opened in 2005 and was originally designed for an annual throughput of 1.5 million TEU. This capacity has become insufficient as the size of the vessels and volume of containers transported has grown. 

Mr. Song Tianwei, General Manager at FICT, commented: “We analyzed the terminal’s operation and found that automating the yard was crucial for our overall productivity. Part of the stacking crane fleet is now equipped with ABB’s automation and remote supervision solution. In addition to this, existing cranes have been refurbished with electrical systems from ABB, which were delivered in pre-assembled, containerized E-houses.”

“We can already see that the cranes equipped with ABB’s automation system deliver a very stable performance of 30 moves per hour,” Tianwei continued. 

“With this performance, we will obttain more than 10 percent increase in terminal’s capacity at the completion of the modernization project. At the same time, we will offer a better and safer working environment for our crane operators, who are very happy about the move to control room environment.”

ABB, which is delivering the modernization solution in collaboration with ZPMC, has noted that the stacking cranes at FICT are specifically designed for this terminal and have two vehicle lanes within the crane portal. While some on the other cranes hace a rope tower, other feature a reeving that resembles a ship-to-shore crane. 

Uno Bryfors, Senior Vice President of ABB Ports, said: “FICT is a very technically competent customer and they designed an specified the solution themselves. We tailor our solution to the unique mechanical design of these cranes an th FICT’s requirements, relying on our experience on automating nearly 900 stacking cranes worldwide.”

Source Port Technology