BCT Gdynia urgently needed to increase its container handling capacity and crane heightening proved to be the fastest and most costeffective way to go about it, especially considering that the machines are reasonably new and still in excellent condition.
Explains Kari Ronkainen, general manager, Parts and Projects: “Finding the right approach required a lot of technical research and planning for Kalmar. It is a solution that will be valuable for many terminals where physical grounds cannot be extended and the only possible direction for growth is upwards. By extending the container stacking height, capacity can be increased considerably. We intend to offer the same solution to other customers.
Kalmar will supply the technical calculations, electricity and PLC programmes and documentation as well as the materials needed for the rebuild.
The customer will perform the installation under Kalmar’s supervision. The work begins at Gdynia in late May and should be completed by October.
The BCT project is extensive as the machines will be dismantled and then reassembled with the new parts. The schedule is tight, but it has been agreed that the customer will be able to continue daily operations with minimal disturbance.
BCT Gdynia, which is 100%-owned by International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), handles the vast majority of Poland’s containerised, general, ro-ro and lo-lo cargo. Occupying 60 hectares and with 800 metres berth, the terminal’s annual capacity currently stands at 400,000TEUs.
