Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA)'s Container Terminal Burchardkai starts the operations of four new modern storage blocks, according to the company's release. The switch will drive forward the decarbonisation of workflows as well as the reduction of emissions at the Port of Hamburg. The transition to the new technology was subsidised by the environmental authority with special funds from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the REACT-EU initiative, with a total of ten million euros.
The four new storage blocks, which were gradually put into operation over the first half of 2023, complement the electric container storage at CTB by an additional 8,500 standard containers (TEU). All in all, the automated container yard at CTB thus has a capacity of almost 39,000 TEU spread across a total of 19 storage blocks. The gradual switch of the energy-intensive process of moving goods in and out of storage using diesel-powered straddle carriers in favour of electric storage crane systems will lead to the further reduction of carbon and harmful emissions at the terminal.
The automated storage crane systems that store and prepare containers for onward transport run on green electricity. The switch also creates the conditions for the conversion of horizontal transport to fully automated container transport (Automated Guided Vehicles), which are battery-operated and thus also climate-neutral.
The automated container storage at CTB consists of storage blocks that are each 42 metres wide and 375 metres long and arranged side by side, with a capacity between 1,980 and 2,130 TEU depending on their type. CTB stands out because its storage crane system consists of three portal cranes that can drive over each other. This is globally unique and increases productivity: crane operation is optimised and the cranes’ traversability results in a more efficient path through the aisles (roadway diagram).
Depending on requirements, one side of the block storage can also be used more intensively. The storage crane system’s high-performance IT system is integrated into the terminal’s overall control system and has been supported by a specially developed AI module for several years. This helps it find optimal storage locations for the stored steel boxes, which can reduce the energy-consuming restacking of containers.