APMT Rotterdam orders fleet of Konecranes Noell straddle carriers

The APMT Rotterdam container terminal in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, has ordered a fleet of 16 diesel-electric Konecranes Noell straddle carriers. They will be delivered and handed over by the end of September 2020.

This order continues the successful relationship between APMT Rotterdam and Konecranes that goes back to 2005. APMT Rotterdam currently operates a fleet of 41 Konecranes Noell straddle carriers.

Peter Kania, Head of Sales for straddle carriers, commented: “Our relationship with APMT Rotterdam goes back years. I’m honored to receive this vote of confidence in our straddle carrier technology. We will make sure that this fleet enters service smoothly, giving APMT Rotterdam the performance and reliability it expects from a Konecranes product. For more than a decade our straddle carriers have been the backbone of the terminal’s landside operation. We are proud to have been selected as a partner to replace the current machines as they are retired, step by step.”

The Konecranes Noell straddle carriers on order will have built-in readiness for automation. They are of the type NSC 644 E, diesel-electric machines lifting containers 1-over-3, equipped with Konecranes Noell NTS 62 F twin-lift spreaders. Three of the spreaders will be equipped with interfaces to a special snow-sweeping system.

All of the machines will be equipped with the Konecranes Noell Fleet Management System (FMS), which APMT Rotterdam already operates. This system will be upgraded to integrate the new machines, giving service personnel visibility over the status of each of them.

They will also be equipped with the CREON-S safety control system, certified according to ISO 13849, standard with all diesel-electric Konecranes Noell straddle carriers.

These straddle carriers are part of Kone­cranes’ path to port automation, where container terminals improve productivity and safety in manageable steps. From smart features up to full automation, the path can include supervised operation and remote operation to smoothly introduce the power of automation. The path to port automation applies to all container handling equipment brands. Full automation can be the final goal, but it doesn’t have to be. Flexibility is the key.