PEMA paper reviews electric RTGs

   The Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) said it has released an information paper on the electrification of rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes in ports and terminals – “a key issue facing the container shipping industry as it strives to improve sustainability and efficiency.”
   “Energy efficiency and reducing emissions are two objectives that the world’s ports and terminals are taking steps to achieve through the electrification of RTGs, and an area where PEMA is able to raise awareness and provide information on technological alternatives,” PEMA President Ottonel Popesco said in a statement.
   “This document provides a solid overview of electrification technologies available today, as well as practical guidance on fitting these systems to new and existing equipment,” added Michael Eckle, PEMA board member and the report’s lead author.
   The paper includes an overview of the current state of legislative requirements on environmental performance facing ports and terminals. It also covers the various electrified RTG (E-RTG) systems that are currently available, and explores their relative strengths and weaknesses, PEMA said. The report also lists a number of ports and terminals that have already introduced E-RTGs.
   This is the sixth information paper published by PEMA, and it follows the release of a similar document in October that focused on container weighing and verification technologies. The latest paper may be accessed from PEMA’s Website.