Container Terminal 9 (CT9) North in Tsing Yi held an opening ceremony today to mark the launch of its remote-controlled rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGCs) and automated container stacking system. This landmark development made CT9 North the first container terminal in Hong Kong where all yard cranes are operated remotely and the stacking of containers is fully automated at yard.
The remote-controlled operations project has opened a new chapter in the development of Hong Kong’s container terminals, as it reinforces the competitiveness of the Hong Kong Port (HKP) while enhancing efficiency, occupational safety and the working environment of crane operators.
The completion of the project is also unprecedented as it was the first time in the world for a container terminal to transit RTGCs to a remote-controlled and automated stacking system while maintaining full operations.
Hongkong International Terminals Limited (HIT) pioneered a remote operation system of rail-mounted gantry cranes at its terminal back in 2012. In late 2013, HIT started to configure 29 RTGCs, which had been manually operated by crane operators from crane cabins, into remote-controlled cranes. Simultaneously, it introduced an automated container stacking system. Both major developments took place at CT9 North.
HIT’s Managing Director, Mr Gerry Yim, pointed out that the remote crane operations can bring four benefits, namely:
1. Improved working environment for crane operators
2. Increased industrial safety
3. Higher operational efficiency and productivity
4. Cleaner terminal environment by reducing carbon emissions
With the introduction of remote-controlled cranes and an automated container stacking system, each crane is now equipped with 58 monitoring cameras and sensors to ensure full precision and enhance industrial safety in its operation. The new remote operation system is integrated with a database at the terminal to work out where and how the containers can best be grounded or stacked. Cranes under the new system are 20% more efficient and productive than manual ones.