As part of a program to phase out all diesel equipment, Hutchison Ports’ Port of Felixstowe has bolstered its capabilities with the recent arrival of five new automated electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes (AeRTGs).
Delivered by Finnish crane manufacturer Konecranes, this order of 17 electric machines in total is said to represent a significant leap forward in the port’s ongoing efforts to modernize operations and reduce carbon emissions to achieve Net Zero by 2035.
Speaking about the latest delivery, Port of Felixstowe Chief Operating Officer, Robert Ashton , said that the news cranes would improve working conditions and remove carbon from the port’s operations.
The Port of Felixstowe has recently also increased the maximum depth of its berths to 18 meters, a move that could help the port broaden its capacity to accommodate even the world’s largest container ships. The deepened berths, combined with the automated rubber-tyred gantry cranes, thus, may hold the potential to improve the overall efficiency of port operations.
Specifically, by stepping away from diesel equipment and integrating electric cranes, the port has not just set a course toward tapering off its own carbon footprint. It can also contribute to the wider fight against climate change by cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions at large and even minimizing noise pollution.
This upgrade is part of the port’s broader endeavors to modernize and decarbonize its operations, which include investments in new equipment such as battery-powered terminal tractors and zero-emission cranes.
Moreover, in line with these efforts, Felixstowe also signed an agreement with Westwell earlier this year to introduce 100 autonomous Q-trucks, with the idea of improving efficiency and further supporting decarbonization goals while potentially positioning both Felixstowe and Westwell as net-zero energy hubs in the coming decades.
Right now, the new cranes are being unloaded at the port’s Trinity Terminal. Then, they’ll be transferred to Berths 8&9 where they will be based and, before officially entering services, the cranes will have to go through a commissioning process.