Kuenz and ABB have achieved a historic milestone by winning the largest yard crane order in European history. On March 13, 2024, APM Terminals, a subsidiary of the leading shipping company A.P. Möller Maersk, and the two parties signed a major order consisting of 62 Automated Rail Mounted Gantry Cranes (ARMGs) and one Rail Mounted Gantry Crane (RGC) for the expansion project at the APM Terminals Maasvlakte II (APMT MVII) terminal in Rotterdam.
The Kuenz and ABB success story at APMT MVII terminal began in 2012 with the construction of the current facility of the project, which included 54 ARMGs for the yard and two RGCs for the fully integrated intermodal yard. APMT MVII selected Kuenz and ABB due to the convincing overall concept of the cranes and the lowest operating costs. For more than a decade, Kuenz and ABB have been proving that the values calculated back then are not just theory but can also be implemented in real operation.
In addition to the impressively long service life of key components such as ropes and wheels, the automation and control solutions also boast the lowest maintenance hours per ARMG in the container industry.
“The Kuenz ARMG Concept 2.0, introduced in the current facility of APMT MVII, was characterized by innovative new features, especially in the hoist unit. This groundbreaking development not only increased the performance of the cranes, but also significantly reduced operating costs. The positive effects of this pioneering innovation have been fully realized,” says David Moosbrugger, Managing Director of Kuenz.
Kuenz and ABB are not only setting new standards in maintenance. In addition to the fully automated handling of containers in the stack and in the AGV transfer zone, the automation concept in the first phase also includes the fully automated loading and unloading of trucks. Using ABB’s advanced technology, a wide range of different international chassis are identified and then precisely loaded with containers. The reliability and precision of the system is unique and proven.
“In collaboration with Kuenz and APMT MVII we have been able to deliver the highest level of automation resulting in a terminal with high productivity and low maintenance needs. We are excited to take this proven concept to the next level, delivering the efficiency gains that are only available to the leaders of terminal automation,” says Clara Holmgren, Business Line Manager Ports, ABB Marine & Ports.
As APMT MVII set out to double the capacity at Maasvlakte II, they chose Kuenz and ABB to deliver the 62 ASCs and one rail crane for Phase 2 with the proven aerodynamic single girder concept from Kuenz the yard cranes are designed for a stacking height of 1 over 6 and a track width of 28.1 meters. Lifting speeds of up to 84 meters/minute and crane travel speeds of up to 270 meters/minute, combined with the latest automation and sensor developments from ABB, guarantee maximum handling performance. The RGC crane, which is mechanically a copy of the existing cranes, will also be highly automated including remote operation.
Hans Jongejan, Project Director MVII-Expansion: “This is an important step in the expansion for APMT MVII. Kuenz and ABB once again proved to be the best solutions for the handling of our containers. The combination between the reliable automatic handling provided by Kuenz and ABB’s aerodynamic cranes makes this a sustainable choice. This allows us to not only become the most modern gateway to Europe but also the most efficient and sustainable. We look forward to a successful cooperation.”
Kuenz is characterized by the traditional advantages of the aerodynamic single girder crane – not only by the lowest power consumption, but also by being the lightest crane that still offers full performance at operating wind speeds of up to 90 km/h. Ten years of experience in maintenance and troubleshooting will be used to further develop the new cranes and continuously optimize their robustness and reliability.
The first cranes are scheduled for delivery in 2025. By mid-2027, a total of 116 stacking cranes and 3 rail cranes will be in operation at APMT MVII, making one of Europe’s largest container terminals even more efficient.
