Electric cars are becoming common place on our roads, as fierce competition and economies of scale drive down prices, improve technologies and increase demand. This revolution has yet to happen for high-ticket, low volume port equipment. But that is now set to change. APM Terminals’ USD60 million investment in port-equipment electrification pilots, in collaboration with leading suppliers, is set to make the step-change needed to move the industry forward.
The global terminal company has committed to full carbon neutrality by 2040, a bold ambition it will achieve by optimising energy consumption, switching to green electricity, on-site renewables, and electrifying assets. Part of this transformation includes the switch from primarily diesel-driven equipment to zero-emission electric versions.
Over the next decade, APM Terminals estimates it will need to buy or retrofit over 2,650 pieces of electric heavy port equipment.
A key challenge facing the company, is the availability of competitively priced heavy-duty equipment such as reach stackers, terminal tractors, empty container handling equipment and straddle carriers. Research and development in this area has been slow off the mark and for ports around the world looking to make eye-watering investments in new electric equipment, numerous questions remain unanswered.
Its US$60 million electrification pilot programme is already underway in Aqaba Container Terminal, APM Terminals Barcelona, APM Terminals Mobile, Pier 400 Los Angeles and Suez Canal Container Terminal.
Long-term collaboration with suppliers
To support these pilots, APM Terminals recently signed groundbreaking agreements with Konecranes and SANY for a long-term collaboration on the further development of electric port equipment.
The company has ordered ten electric terminal tractors, two electric reach stackers and two electric empty container handlers from SANY. APM Terminals also became the first company globally to place an order for four battery-powered Konecranes Noell straddle carriers, to be delivered in Q3 2024. Both orders also include charging infrastructure.
Completion of the pilots is expected early 2025 and knowledge and insights gained from the pilots are likely to drive up supply, encourage the development of industry-wide best practices, and stimulate ongoing development long term.
Government support
The five terminals were chosen for their decarb-ready maturity levels, supportive local authorities, government and legislation. In these locations, next-level electrified equipment will be tested, and staff will be offered training in future-ready safety and maintenance protocols.
Jelle Burger, Program Lead Electrification Pilots at APM Terminals said the multi-million pilot and investment package was intended to ‘create a spark’ that will ignite the manufacturing sector, creating jobs and business opportunities.
In the next decade, APM Terminals estimates it will need to buy or retrofit over 1,500 electric Terminal Tractors (eTTs), 500 electric Reach Stackers (eRS), as well as electric Empty Handlers (eEH), electric Top Loaders (eTL), 100 electric Straddle (eSC) and Shuttle (eShC) Carriers and 550 Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes (RTGs).
Planting the seeds
“This is not an investment on which we will expect see an immediate or short-term return,” he said. “We are making this investment as a solid benefit for our customers in the long term. It can be seen as ‘seed money’ to stimulate growth in carbon-neutral tools for the benefit of the entire sector and the earth itself.”
APM Terminals has identified suppliers, including major names in the business, but also new entrants. “We see young, emerging companies ready to step up and deliver. They have the passion – and the prototypes. We are providing the resources to encourage growth, standardisation, and scale which will lead to accessible pricing,” said Burger.
Adding to existing fleet
In 2022, APM Terminals purchased over 180 pieces of electric or hybrid container handling equipment. Together with a switch to renewable electricity across its operations, direct electrification and green fuels APM Terminals will achieve its net zero objective by 2040.
APM Terminals expands its API offering. Image: APM Terminals
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In response to customer feedback, this month APM Terminals rolled out a new API which enables customers to track the schedules and key milestones for all vessels calling at a specific terminal. Furthermore, real-time API data connectivity was made available for an additional three terminals.
APM Terminals has offered a Vessel Schedule API for some years, however this was more suited to customers looking to track a specific vessel calling a terminal. The new Terminal Vessel Schedule enables customers to track all vessels calling a terminal, for up to one week in the past and two weeks ahead.
The Terminal Vessels Schedule provides customers with, among other things, real-time and reliable terminal Estimated Time of Arrival/Departure, Earliest Receiving Date, Cut-Off Times for different cargo types, vessel details and more.
Why use APIs?
APM Terminals’ innovative, industry-leading range of seven APIs enables customers to pull real-time container status, truck appointment and vessel data from its Terminal Operating Systems, into their own internal systems, such as a Logistics or Transport Management System (TMS). Developed in line with industry standards, they offer self-service, straight forward, one-time-only implementation.
Real-time data feeds remove the need to look up information manually via our existing Track & Trace channels, making this the ideal solution for shipping lines, inland transporters, cargo owners and managers, and data aggregators who process higher volumes.
The pricing structure of the new Terminal Vessel Schedule is particularly interesting for larger customers tracking a number of vessels as unlike the existing Vessel Schedule API, pricing is not per vessel called via the API, but for unlimited calls for a period of 30 days, for a specific terminal. As with the company’s existing range of APIs, API calls are purchased using API credits which can be bought in bundles. The larger the bundle, the lower the price per credit.
New Terminals
API connectivity was added for the company’s two Ports in India, APM Terminals Mumbai and APM Terminal Pipavav, as well as the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) in Egypt. SCCT support data for Vessel Schedules, Import Containers and Export Containers. The Indian terminals support data for Vessel Schedules, Import Containers, Container Event History and Empty Container Returns.
With these additional Terminals, APM Terminals now offer’s API connectivity for 22 of its terminals, with an additional five planned to be added this year.
MOL join the Port Island Phase 2 Development Project at the Port of Kobe, Image: MOL
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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the Port Island Phase 2 Development Project at the Port of Kobe with Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Following the phase 2 South Pier expansion and improvement work undertaken by Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation, MOL will add berth PC-14 and the land behind the terminal to its lease and expand Kobe International Container Terminal. MOL currently leases KICT and operates berths PC-15/16/17 along with Sankyu Inc., Sumitomo Warehouse Co., Ltd., and Nickel & Lyons Ltd. The MoU also calls for “K” Line, which currently operates a container terminal on Rokko Island, to join KICT. After the completion of the expansion and improvement work, KICT will be the largest terminal in western Japan, handling about 40% of international container cargo at the Port of Kobe.
The expanded KICT will have a total wharf length of 1,750m, up from the current 1,050m, providing more flexible berth windows and streamlining connections for containers with other routes. Furthermore, a Container freight station directly connected to the terminal and a logistics facility with an overhead crane that can move larger cargo, will be built on the land behind the terminal, offering one-stop service from loading of cargo containers to delivery to the terminal. MOL Group company Shosen Koun Co., Ltd. will operate these facilities, delivering convenient and competitive logistics services to customers throughout the group.
MOL has positioned environmental strategy as one of the key elements of in its “BLUE ACTION 2035” management plan, and set the goal of achieving net zero greenhouse (GHG) emissions by 2050 in the “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2.” Last year, Shosen Koun became the first company in Japan to introduce two new transfer cranes (RTGs), which can be converted from conventional diesel engines to hydrogen fuel cells to power the RTGs used for container handling operations at KICT. And the company will adopt the new electric RTGs in the terminal expansion area. In addition, it plans to install solar panels on the container gate and the roof of the logistics facility. Through these concerted group-wide initiatives, the MOL Group will contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions from the container terminal.
MOL has positioned the Port of Kobe as an important base for its domestic business for many years, and its group companies currently operate the port, logistics, tugboat, and real estate businesses, each of which has deep roots in the local community. In April of last year, the Kobe Shosen Mitsui Building celebrated the centennial anniversary of its completion. With the KICT expansion project, the MOL Group will further solidify its business base and offer stress-free services to customers.
The Callao Multipurpose North Terminal, operated by APM Terminals, welcomed “MSC Chiyo”, the largest capacity container ship to ever call in Peru. The new container ship, operated by shipping line MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) came into operation this year.
At 366m long and 51m wide, the vessel operates on the ANDES Service, which connects Callao with the Asian continent. The MSC Chiyo has a higher-than-normal container capacity due to its maximum draft of 17 meters. With 16,616 TEU (20-foot container equivalent) on board, it became the largest capacity vessel to ever arrive on the west coast, compared to the 14,000 TEU ships normally operating on the same service.
During its stay at APM Terminals Callao, 2,586 crane moves were made in total. This included 1,522 import TEUs and 1,483 export TEUs, which were handled with the terminals five super post panamax ship-to-shore cranes for almost the entire operation. An impressive crane productivity of 115 moves per hour was achieved.
“At APM Terminals Callao we are proud to be the main port in the country and to be the first to receive ships of this capacity,” commented Fernando Fauche, Commercial Director of APM Terminals Callao.
“One of the factors that make events like this a reality is the great care and priority we give to our internal safety and security standards, ensuring that they are 100% met and providing guarantees to our clients. The arrival of this large vessel is undoubtedly a milestone for the terminal, and events like this reaffirm our mission to become an international hub for the different players in the logistics sector and thus continue to meet the needs of the local and global market.”
