Konecranes Port Services upgrades non-Konecranes STS at Port of Constanta, Romania

In Q2 2024, Socep SA Romania (Socep) had a new Konecranes drive retrofitted to one non-Konecranes ship-to-shore (STS) crane at their container terminal in Constanta. This upgrade was intended to improve crane performance and lengthen the operational life of the crane while ensuring the continued availability of spare parts and technical support.

Socep runs two high-volume cargo terminals at the largest port on the Black Sea, the Port of Constanta. At their container terminal, they rely on a small fleet of fast and efficient cranes operating around the clock to load and unload 500,000 TEU per year. One of their STS cranes was no longer supported by the manufacturer, but the body of the crane was still in very good condition. All it needed was new drives to restore full usability. So Socep decided to upgrade the crane with a Konecranes drive retrofit.

Part of the Konecranes Any Brand series, this retrofit is fully compatible with both Konecranes and non-Konecranes STS cranes. In this case, the STS had its AC drives replaced, to help optimize operations and simplify maintenance. After just a few months, performance and productivity has improved, and technical support is guaranteed long into the future. The upgrade will probably add 10-15 years to the working life of the cranes.

Retrofits for all makes and models

While the steel structure of a port crane can last for decades, even the highest-quality components will eventually wear out. A retrofit adds technological enhancements to improve the handling and functionality of the crane and increase its longevity. On non-Konecranes equipment, a Konecranes retrofit replaces obsolete components from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), so parts are always available and downtime is minimized.

“We are the leading port terminal operator in the region, so our customers expect a highly productive, cost efficient and sustainable operation,” says Aura Dinu, Maintenance Project Manager, Socep. “That’s why we chose Konecranes to inspect our port cranes, and why we chose them again for this retrofit. We can continue to use a familiar crane, but its handling is smoother, maintenance is easier, and our commitment to sustainability is clear.”

The Konecranes STS drive and control system retrofit is a turnkey solution with customizable features for specific requirements. Here, a non-Konecranes STS had its DC, or AC drives on its hoists, boom hoist, trolley and gantries, motor modules and control units all replaced.

New onboard HMIs was installed for e-room and operator cabin. TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring offers digital reports on crane performance and further technical analysis to assist in maintenance.

An investment in a sustainable future

“A drive and control system retrofit is a cost-efficient upgrade to any port crane,” says Neil Griffiths, Service Agreements Director, Port Services, Konecranes. “At only a fraction of the price of a new crane, Socep now have the latest drive systems from Konecranes on their non-Konecranes STS. This retrofit is an important step in their plans for sustainable profitability and growth as they maximize the lifetime of their existing resources. They are a new customer for Konecranes and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.”

The drive and control system retrofit is one of Konecranes’ Any Brand retrofits. Whatever the make of your equipment, you can add safety-assist, electric conversion, smart features or automation retrofits to improve the reliability and performance of your port cranes and extend their service to your operations long into the future.