Eco-friendly bulk handling

About 60 of the world’s leading port organisations support the WPCI programmes with the objective of improving air quality through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and there are numerous measures ports can take in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

One key element in achieving a significant emission reduction is eco-friendly bulk handling equipment. Investments into green and innovative equipment are positive for the complete port environment and the staff will benefit from healthier working conditions. Hence, ports worldwide place higher priority on the prevention of pollution.

In line with customer needs, the development of Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes (LHM) not only follows industry related matters like increased turnover, but also aims to exceed prevailing political guidelines concerning health and environment. Liebherr’s mobile harbour crane series measures up to the standards associated with the Liebherr name and to which Liebherr gives top priority: the best possible quality and effective support for its customer’s business activities.This also includes creating a sustainable footprint.

The new LHM 800

The new LHM 800 is equipped with a multitude of features making the machine environmentally compatible. Liebherr engines already comply with the latest emission standards (Stage IV and Tier4f). Furthermore, the crane can be equipped with Pactronic®, a hybrid drive system which reduces fuel/energy consumption significantly and leads to less emissions and less noise pollution.

Liebherr’s self-learing grabbing system called SmartGrip® also contributes to more efficient bulk handling. SmartGrip® is the solution for optimised grab filling rates and provides valuable advantages including the elimination of overloads, less stress for the driver and higher turnover of up to 30%. Furthermore SmartGrip® partly closes the gap between high-skilled and less-skilled drivers, as some important parts of bulk handling are automatically optimised by the system. SmartGrip® results in a reduction of exhaust emissions and fuel consumption.

Eco-control

In addition to innovative drive and grabbing technologies, Liebherr offers the unique fuel saving tool ECO Control. With ECO Control activated, the Litronic® crane control system automatically calculates the minimum required revolutions per minute (rpm) of the diesel engine or electric motor depending on speed and load. This leads to a notable reduction of diesel without any impact on operational output. Variable speed control results in fuel savings of up to 25%.

Generally speaking, without ECO control, a mobile harbour crane engine would run at a constant high rpm, which results in additional fuel consumption. For example, a diesel engine driven LHM working 2,000 hours per year with ECO Control would reduce CO² production by 79 tonnes compared to a crane running without ECO Control. Moreover, the low rpm has a direct impact on reduction of noise which is another positive side effect of ECO Control.

An eye on the future

As permanent developments in various sectors, like information technology, allow for ever more functionality, Liebherr pays close attention to developments and trends in relevant sectors in order to continuously assess its products suitability for the maritime industry. Liebherr invests increasingly in the development of green technology, to ensure that its cranes meet environmental standards across the globe.

As a result, Liebherr already has a number of new projects in the pipeline which are expected to be ready for the market in the near future and they will reset the benchmark when it comes to efficient bulk handling.