“Availability of spare parts after 10-15 years is a particular problem. For example, because of rapidly developing technology in the field of electronic components, original or compatible printed circuit boards and their components may simply no longer be obtainable after this period of time. Not all manufacturers will support availability of spare parts for their products for such a long period. Then crane downtime becomes a very serious economic factor. This is a very common problem that experienced users will recognize.”
One of the safety features that many container quay cranes lack is snag load protection. A damaged cell guide, spreader or container can cause the hoisted load to jam and stop instantly in the cell guide while the crane hoisting machinery is rotating at high speed. The large rotating mass or flywheel effect of the drive mechanism creates uncontrolled stresses on load path components and the crane structure. Induced loads in these conditions can be many times the allowable stresses in components and structures that experience the resulting shock load. High speed, high energy snags can:
break the hoist ropes damage the container spreader damage the hoist machinery damage the crane structure.
Automatic centralised lubrication which automatically delivers the correct amount of lubricant at the correct time intervals to the correct location, is also important.
“Several such systems can be fitted to a crane, with one for the machinery house, one for the trolley and two for the gantry systems, ” they say. “A common problem encountered by ports in Middle East desert conditions is the high sand content in the atmosphere. Furthermore, such sand has a high silica content that is both abrasive and corrosive. Centralised/automatic lubrication systems can help to prevent ingress of sand by simply ensuring that the complete lubrication system is sealed.
