HHLA and ABB sign partnership agreement to further develop automatic stacking crane systems

The partnership is to unlock potential for the further development of systems for automatic stacking cranes as well as their use, maintenance, and servicing

European logistics company Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) and ABB, technology leader in electrification and automation, have agreed on a partnership to improve efficiency in long-term operation of large automatic stacking crane (ASC) systems.

When the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) opened for operation in 2002, it was one of the first container terminals in the world to deploy large end-load automatic stacking cranes. Since then, even bigger ASCs have been introduced at the nearby Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB). Between the two terminals, HHLA operates more than 100 ASCs with ABB automation today.

The aim of the partnership between HHLA and ABB is to unlock potential for the further development of systems for automatic stacking cranes as well as their use, maintenance, and servicing, through transfer of knowledge from HHLA’s long-term operational experience of ASC fleets and ABB’s experience from delivering automation solutions for more than 1,000 ACSs world-wide. The partnership will be ongoing until the end of 2025.

“We are very pleased about the partnership with ABB in the field of our automatic stacking crane systems. With ABB, we have a partner with a high level of technical expertise at our side. Our aim is to optimise the ASCs and to further develop them through innovative technology,” explains Oliver Dux, Director of technology at HHLA.

“With 20 years of experience, HHLA is the ideal partner for ABB and we look forward to taking ASC systems with supporting tools and methods to the next level,” says Uno Bryfors, Global Business Line Manager, Ports at ABB Marine & Ports.