North America’s first ERTG
The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has become the first in North America to unveil four electrified rubber-tired gantry cranes (ERTGs) – becoming the first in North America to set such a benchmark in electrification.
By introducing the cleaner, more efficient technology, GPA says it will not only be of greater benefit to the environment, it will reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 95%, maintenance costs and extend diesel life.
The new ERTG system was developed with the help of partners Konecranes, Conductix-Wampfler and Georgia Power, which provided the cranes, the new power system and the electrical infrastructure, respectively.
Murry Weaver, vice president of sales, Georgia Power, said: “The ERTG system will not only offer significant cost savings and environmental benefits, but it will also position the GPA as a leading model for ports throughout the nation.”
There is a long term plan to retrofit the Garden City Terminal’s fleet of diesel powered RTGs to use shore power via retractable arms which will link to a conductor rail system, bringing the total number of ERTGs to 169 by 2022. Re-powering the RTGs will be a multi year initiative, requiring new cranes to be ordered with electric power capabilities and and some older cranes to be retrofitted.
The ERTGs will switch via an auto engage system between diesel and the electrical grid. Around 90% of the time, the cranes will operate on electrical power.
Custom built to a GPA design, the ERTGs are powered through 480 volt conductor rails installed on the container yard at the rear of container berths 4 and 5. They will capture power when lowering boxes – energy which is currently lost under diesel power.
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