Kalmar has confirmed that it has received a major Smart Port Solutions order intended to support an innovative terminal development at Mejillones, Chile.
Terminal Graneles del Norte S.A. (TGN), located in the Antofagasta region of the country, has a US$105 million project underway to develop a second berth to handle shipments of copper concentrates being mined in the surrounding region. The terminal development, scheduled to come into operation in 2024, will deliver the ability to serve up to Panamax dimension vessels and to boost transfer capacity to up to four million tonnes per annum.
An innovative cargo-handling system has been configured, using 100 per cent electric automated cranes for the reception, storage and unloading of the tiltable containers loaded with copper concentrate.
The automated rail-mounted gantry crane system ordered for this new facility will be supported by Kalmar SmartPort solutions to increase operating efficiency and performance. The three specific Kalmar solutions to be introduced comprise the following and will be fully linked to the terminal’s gate operating system and a Navis N4 TOS:
- SmartLane – use of RFID tags placed on containers that automatically register and track the units as they enter or leave the terminal.
- SmartMap – provides real-time and historical visualisation of equipment location and container routing patterns in the yard.
- Road Trucks - automatically tracks road trucks to maintain full compliance with the work order, while increasing crane productivity when the truck arrives.
Eduardo Simian, Project Manager, TGN, highlights: “We chose Kalmar SmartPort solutions because of Kalmar’s ability to offer a solution that will be a key part of the automated container movement through the port. We are confident that the solution will help us ensure safe and efficient operations andfast truck turnaround times for our customers.”
