Dubai-Based Operator Spending US$16.2 Million to Upgrade Fleet of RTGs
Dubai-based global port operator DP World is expanding the use of renewable energy to power its equipment and machinery at its Santos multipurpose terminal in Brazil, part of its global strategy to become carbon neutral by 2040.
An initial phase is focussing on the upgrade of its fleet of rubber-tired gantry, or RTG, container handling cranes. Some US$16.2 million is being invested to electrify 22 diesel-fuel units by the end of 2024. A first, all-electric RTG is already up and running.
The whole fleet is expected to be electrified by the end of 2024.
According to DP World, electrification of the RTGs works through a system of cables that resembles an “electric arm” used by a trolleybus, which draws power from overhead cables.
At the terminal, which sits on the left bank of Brazil’s Port of Santos, the largest port in Latin America, eight electrical substations will be installed to supply power to the RTGs. Each substation will be capable of supplying power to four blocks of the container yard, with a rolling line of up to 300 metres.
The technology is expected to cut the terminal’s diesel use by up to 60 percent.
“The conversion of the RTGs is a critical step in our decarbonization efforts and aligns with our overall focus on sustainability,” said Fabio Siccherino, CEO of DP World Santos.
“In addition to improved environmental care and climate performance, this change is also expected to bring additional operational benefits, as the technology offers low maintenance costs, increased productivity of the RTGs and improved equipment reliability.”
DP World has already announced this year it would be investing US$35 million to expand and upgrade its facilities at Santos. The injection of capital will be used to boost annual movement capacity from 1.2 million to 1.4 million TEUs and expand the size of the quay from 1,100 metres to 1,300 metres.
The outlay marks DP World’s third round of investment since operations began in Brazil in mid-2013. The company has an additional 130,000 square metres of available land for expansion at the port area.
The operator late last year revealed plans to invest US$500 million worldwide to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 700,000 tonnes over the next five years. The project will focus on transitioning its global port and terminal equipment from diesel to electric, investing in renewable power and exploring the use of alternative fuels.
DP World operates a network of 295 businesses in 78 countries across six continents. The company’s UAE division operates Jebel Ali Port in Dubai – the Middle East’s busiest shipping destination.
DP World is an exhibitor and sponsor at Breakbulk events. The next event in the calendar is Breakbulk Americas 2023, taking place on 26-28 September at the George R. Brown conference centre in Houston, Texas.
