Konecranes’ advanced RTGs to Port of Houston Authority

In October 2012, Konecranes received an order for eight RTG (rubber tired gantry) cranes from the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) in the USA. This is the second Konecranes fuel-saving RTG delivery for PHA that already has 49 Konecranes RTGs in its terminals. The cranes will be delivered in autumn 2013. The value of the order is not disclosed.

The Port of Houston is the number one port in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage, and handles nearly 230 million tons of cargo a year. The Port Authority owns and/or operates nine public terminals along the 52-mile Houston Ship Channel. Konecranes delivered its first RTGs to PHA in 2003. The recently ordered cranes will be delivered to the Barbours Cut Terminal. The Barbours Cut equipment fleet will then include 30 Konecranes 16-wheel RTGs.

“Konecranes’ fuel-saving RTGs have been designed to take account of future environmental requirements,” says Jussi Sarpio, general manager RTG cranes at Konecranes. “The cranes are equipped with a variable-speed diesel alternator system, which reduces fuel consumption significantly by eliminating high-speed idling. It also reduces noise and emissions. The efficiency of the equipment is further improved by Konecranes’ Active Load Control system.”

The 16 wheel all electric cranes have a lifting capacity of 50 tons and can stack one-over-five containers high and six-plus truck lane wide.