Eurogate, a leading container-terminal group, recently inaugurated the first deep-draught container terminal in Germany, the Eurogate Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven, on Germany’s North Sea coast. The port has a natural water depth in excess of 18 meters, enabling even the world’s largest container vessels to access the port at any time, independently of the tides. During a symbolic opening ceremony, a diesel-electric Terex Noell SC 644 E straddle carrier picked up the port’s first outgoing containerand moved it along the quay.
Terex Noell SC 644 E Straddle Carrier
Terex Port Solutions contributed a fleet comprising 36 straddle carriers, manufactured at its facility in Würzburg, Germany, to this new container port. Formed in June 2012, Terex Port Solutions combined the capabilities of Gottwald Port Technology with Terex Port Equipment to create a world leader in the supply of port technology offering a broad range of manual, semi-automated, and fully automated handling solutions.
The Terex Noell SC 644 E straddle carriers in Wilhelmshaven are to be used for lifting, carrying, and stacking containers. These machines have a maximum lifting capacity of 60 tons under spreader and can lift both single containers and two fully laden 20-foot containers in twin-lift operation. They achieve speeds of up to 24 kph when traveling with containers and can stack containers one-over-three, allowing a maximum stack height of four containers.
The diesel-electric drive system uses its own on-board diesel generator set that is compliant with Stage IIIb of the European emission standards for non-road mobile machinery. Generator speed is controlled by advanced power management that ensures particularly efficient, low-emission operation of the straddle carriers. In conjunction with an incorporated sound-reduction package, the noise emissions of the straddle carriers are also lowered to an unprecedented level. This combination of economy and environmental protection is a common feature of Terex Port Solutions drive technology and is incorporated into many of its solutions involving heavy equipment for ports and terminals. The diesel-electric system also ties in well with Eurogate’s environmental strategy because the terminal operator places explicit emphasis on the use of terminal equipment technologies that reduce energy consumption and exhaust gases.
A principal feature of Terex straddle carriers is that they offer flexible application—in particular, the possibility of raising and moving containers quickly to increase productivity, and this at low initial investment and low operating costs.
“We opted for Terex Noell SC 644 E straddle carriers because of their state-of-the-art technology,” explained Emanuel Schiffer, CEO of Eurogate. “Eurogate deploys straddle carriers from Noell all over our network. We brought all our good experience with straddle carriers from Noell into the operations of our new terminal.”
Guido Luini, Managing Director at Terex Port Solutions’ facility in Würzburg, added: “Terex Port Solutions supplies cutting-edge, tailor-made systems from a single source to terminal operators the world over. We are very pleased that we were able to supply Eurogate with the Terex straddle carriers as a solution that takes full account of the fundamental principles of the new terminal. We are proud to be able to make such a crucial contribution to the successful operation of this deep-draught port that is unique in Germany.”
Terex state-of-the-art straddle carriers, all designed and manufactured in Würzburg, Germany, are also equipped with such cutting-edge features as an automated spreader positioning system, operator micro steering, LED lights, a weighing system, and tire pressure and oil condition monitoring. The condition of the fleet of straddle carriers and their subsystems is furthermore permanently remotely supervised through the Terex Fleet Management System.
