APM Terminal: exceptional high crane production

APM Terminals facility at Rotterdam`s new Maasvlakte II will probably become the world`s most automated facility: unmanned (remote controlled) Ship to Shore 25 wide container gantries and Automatic Guided Vehicles/AGV communicating between the StS gantries and the fully automated stacking cranes.

It should all result in an exceptional high production, allowing the terminal to reach its planned 2.7 million TEU capacity (in the first phase) with just eight StS or more than 300,000 TEU per unit per year. The box handler`s existing straddle carrier based Maasvlakte I terminal at has a similar capacity served by 14 StS gantries going maximum 21 boxes across ship.

Although always wished if not demanded, the (much) higher production of APM Terminals Maasvlakte II has also become a requirement to handle Maersk Line`s new, soon to be commissioned 18,300 TEU Triple E units. As those are (nearly) equally long as the Danes`s 15,600 TEU E Class units (400 and 397 metres, respectively, it will not be possible to add more quay cranes to handle the (maximum) extra 2,700 TEU the Triple E can carry. < Korea Shipping Gazette >