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Kick-off Meeting of the TEN-T "GREENCRANES" Project in Valencia

Published Nov 19, 2012 10:29 AM by The Maritime Executive

  • GREENCRANES will increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in port container terminals (PCTs)
  • Pilot schemes will be implemented in the ports of Valencia, Livorno and Koper to test for the best alternative sustainable energy source to those currently used

Kick-off meeting of the European project GREENCRANES – Green Technologies and Eco-Efficient Alternatives for Cranes and Operations at Port Container Terminals (PCTs), financed by the European Union through the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) programme.

The general objective of GREENCRANES is to demonstrate the viability of new technologies and alternative fuels through pilot schemes implemented in PCTs. The final goal will be to identify the necessary decision-making criteria and recommendations to draft European policies as well as for the port-logistics industry to take informed decisions.

The meeting started with a presentation of the project given by Rafael Sapiña, the head of the Shipping Lines and Operators department of the Valenciaport Foundation. This was followed by several presentations given by the various project partners of GREENCRANES: the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), Noatum, ABB Spain, Konecranes Spain, the Valenciaport Foundation, the Port of Koper (Slovenia) and the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, as well as presentions given by Italian coolaborators in the implementation of the project: the Port Authority of Livorno, RINA S.p.A., Global Service S.r.L., and the Escuela Superior Sant’Anna – Laboratorio de Robótica Perceptual.

During the afternoon session the four activities of the project were presented:

- Activity 1: “Mapping of port container terminals energy profile”, led by the Port of Koper;

- Activity 2: “Evaluation of the eco-efficient GREENCRANES alternatives”, led by Noatum;

- Activities 3 & 4: “Pilot demonstrations in the ports of Valencia, Koper and Livorno” and “Management, Communication and Coordination”, led by the Valenciaport Foundation.

Once the meeting ends a visit is planned to the facilities of the Noatum Container Terminal Valencia for all to familiarise themselves directly with its equipment given that one of the pilot schemes to be tested next year to demonstrate the viability of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) and/or electricity to power yard tractors and RTG cranes is to be implemented in this PCT.

On Friday project partners and collaborators will meet in the general assembly to discuss and cover the principal points of the management plan of the project. During this meeting they will decide the members of the group responsible for revising this plan which will be composed of representatives of the Ministries of Transport of each country, as well as of the European Commission and of relevant companies from the sector.

About GREENCRANES:
GREENCRANES stands for Green Technologies and Eco-Efficient Alternatives for Cranes and Operations at Port Container Terminals. The principal goal of the project is to provide the tools needed by PCTs to improve the energy efficiency of their equipment and operations whilst reducing GHG emissions. To achieve this GREENCRANES will carry out the following actions:

• profile the energy consumption of PCTs, identifying thereby the principal centres of energy consumption;

• analyse the viability of different eco-efficient technologies that reduce their impact in terms of carbon footprint whilst maintaining or increasing productivity;

• implement pilot schemes with the alternatives studied that provide the greatest energy and economic efficiency, as well as a significant reduction in polluting emissions;

• provide recommendations for the port industry, users, operators, authorities, etc… derived from the results obtained from the pilot tests;

• communicate and disseminate to the port and public sector in general the results and good practices developed in the project;

• define standards that facilitate the implementation of the eco-efficient alternatives of GREENCRANES in the rest of European PCTs.

The final objective of GREENCRANES is to contribute to a better understanding of investors and managers of PCTs, as well as of the port industry, authorities and European citizens, of technologies that provide more environmental, economic and social benefits and that have a high potential to be rapidly implemented in Europe.

The pilot schemes to be implemented and tested in GREENCRANES manifest a clear and important commitment to innovation in the port industry. Based on research carried out in this field until now they endeavour to demonstrate the implementation of eco-efficient technologies in real industrial environments such as PCTs. To this effect GREENCRANES will carry out three pilot schemes in the ports of Valencia (Spain), Livorno (Italy) and Koper (Slovenia).

The project partners of GREENCRANES are: the Valenciaport Foundation (coordinator), the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), Noatum, Konecranes Spain, ABB Spain, the Port of Koper and the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (with the Port Authority of Livorno, RINA S.p.A., Global Service S.r.L., and the Escuela Superior Sant’Anna – Laboratorio de Robótica Perceptual acting as implementing bodies).

GREENCRANES has been selected to receive co-financing from the European Commission as part of the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) in its 2011 Annual Programme. The project commenced on 1 August 2012 and is due to conclude on 31 March 2014.