MUSCAT: The Port of Salalah has welcomed the arrival of hybrid cranes designed to improve cargo handling efficiency. The four new hybrid Rubber Tyred Gantry (hRTG) cranes join 24 other cranes at Port of Salalah, including fully electric Ship to Shore assets.
In terms of sustainability, these new additions deliver full lifting and driving power with quicker turnaround times for container handling – but consume significantly less fuel than a conventionally powered RTG.
The new equipment, part of multi-million dollar investment, further boosts the terminal which is fast developing its reputation as ‘more than a port’. The Port of Salalah is an increasingly attractive option for shipping lines as an alternative to routing via the Cape of Good Hope. With air, land and sea intermodal connectivity, it offers fast, efficient and flexible solutions, paired with facilities such as a Free Zone and airport. In addition, it has consistently retained its ranking as the most efficient container port in the world, bar one, by the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI).
Toward the culmination of that plan, the Port of Salalah’s receipt of the hRTGs – the first 4 of a planned 12 – is an example of its commitment to lifting the standards of responsibility. The new assets employ a regenerative energy system which means each power unit’s running hours are much reduced, and they are a quieter option, which reduces sound pollution.
Additionally, the cranes are equipped with Differential Global Positioning System (dGPS) and Position Determination System (PDS) which increases the accuracy of the operation. The Auto Gantry Steering System, as one of the important Operator Support Functions, helps to increase safety during the operation, while ease of maintenance on the cranes additionally saves time, costs and unnecessary delays, with the ultimate beneficiary being the Port of Salalah’s shipping line customers.
Training programmes will be conducted for operators to ensure they are adept in utilizing this advanced equipment, which is due to be operational within a week. With the remaining eight hRTGs projected to be operational by the end of November, the terminal will have a six million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity by year end. The continuous enhancement to the operator’s equipment portfolio marks a pivotal step towards achieving more efficient and sustainable port operations.
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