It’ll be first port to use latest braking system for cranes

Northport (M) Bhd will be the first port in Asia to use the latest braking system for its ship-to-shore (STS) cranes dubbed the snag overload system (SOS).
Developed by Pintsch Bubenzer Group from Germany, the system is more reliable in terms of safety and is greener to the environment.
Northport assistant general manager of equipment maintenance G. Sundaraja Perumal told StarBiz that the company planned to initially install the SOS for six of its new cranes.
STS cranes are the most important material-handling equipment in ports that largely determine their level of efficiency.
“Four of these cranes are slated for the upcoming container terminal 4 (CT4) and the remaining two will be used in CT2,” he said.
Each application of SOS will cost 80,000 to 100,000 euros (RM311,000 to RM389,000).
CT4, Northport’s latest container wharf that is currently at its final stage of development, is expected to be fully operational in August.
Sundaraja said the braking system for STS cranes was important as any downtime at the port would affect its efficiency and ultimately translate into unnecessary cost.
Periodic snag loads are unfortunate occurrences during container-handling operations, particularly with STS cranes.
A snag event is defined as a sudden stopping of the lifting spreader of an STS crane, particularly during unloaded, high-speed hoisting when spreader hangs up in a vessel cell guide.
“If the container does not get released fast during a snag, the energy will be transferred to the wire rope or crane structure and the weakest link will fail. To replace a snapped wire rope will take about 10 hours,” he said.
By using the SOS, Sundaraja said the coupling in STS cranes would quickly disengage itself during a snag event.
“After the snag load is isolated from the system, the brake will come in fast,” he said.
Sundaraja explained that a snag event usually happened when a ship rolled (could be due to waves) during a full-speed hoisting.
“This SOS is also more friendly towards the environment as it is an electro-mechanical equipment as compared to the conventional hydraulic system,” he said.
Pintsch Bubenzer Myport Sdn Bhd managing director Suzannah E. Jamain said Northport was the first port in Asia to acquire the SOS. “The first SOS was installed in Rotterdam Port about three years ago,” she said.
Suzannah said Pintsch Bubenzer was a major supplier for braking system of material-handling equipment, particularly for ports.
“We also develop braking systems for other industries such as wind turbine and steel mills.
“We are now trying to strengthen our foothold in the shipyard and offshore industries,” she said.

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