21.06.2005

Port increase container moves by 30%

The Port of Rauma is the largest port in Finland for forestry products, such as paper, which represents over half of the ports 6.3 million tones of cargo. The number of containers that the port is handles though is rising rapidly from the 130,000 TEU’s (Twenty foot equivalent) this year.

In order to cope with the rise in container traffic the port ordered an additional Gottwald HMK 300E, 100 tonne mobile harbour crane. At the same time the port management studied the container loading/unloading process in an attempt to find ways to improve efficiency. It soon became clear that the most significant problems were caused by listing.
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he Smits CH 6600 TA.FT spreader in Rauma Finland

•In loading and unloading feeder vessels the vessels list several degrees during the operation.
•Due to this the container is not parallel to the vessel’s hold which causes friction between the spreader or the box and the cells.
•The same problem occurs when loading containers to the weather deck of a Ro-Ro vessel if the Ro-Ro cargo is loaded at same time

The Port had an old prototype spreader that included a lateral adjustment feature to cope with listing, but it could only handle single 20ft containers and the Swedish company that had built it was no longer in business. The Rauma managers realized that if they could find a spreader that combined the ability to adjust to the listing of ships as well as handle two unequally loaded containers at once, significant gains in container handling efficiency would come.

So in 2002 to 2003 Rauma contacted a number of spreader manufacturers and was disillusioned by the responses which included the usual string of excuses, including:

•“A List function is not necessary”
•“A List function will make the spreader unstable”
•“This feature has never been requested”
•“The problems can be solved by training your crane operators”
•“Order 100 units and we will do it”!

Eventually Rauma came across VDL Smits Spreader Systems in the Netherlands who said yes and designed a spreader to do the job; the first attempt was too heavy. The Gottwald cranes are limited to 63 tonnes at 32 metres on high hoist speed. So Smits took another look at the design, while Rauma realized that it could manage with 25 tonne averages on dual container lifts.
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The VDL Smits CH 6600 TA.FT spreader has lateral as well as longtitudinal levelling

Smits finally came up with the CH 6600 TA.FT a Fixed twin spreader with both horizontal and traversal adjustment. The spreaders total weight is now under 15 tonnes and will handle two 25 tonne containers. The first unit has been used since late last year, and has increased the number of containers handled an hour by 30 percent.

In addition to the idea working in practice, Rauma claim that it has benefited from a measurable reduction in box damages and that its crane operators have not only accepted the new spreader, but are very positive about it, a highly important factor.The gains are so significant that Rauma has ordered a second CH6600 spreader for delivery this summer.
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Detail on the lateral list adjustment cylinder