MacGregor, part of Cargotec, and ESL Shipping Oy, part of Aspo Plc, have agreed to jointly develop and test an autonomous discharging feature on MacGregor bulk handling cranes, designed to offer safety and efficiency advances. The cranes will be fitted on board ESL Shipping’s two new liquefied natural gas-powered handysize bulk carriers.
According to Leif Byström, Senior Vice President, Cargo Handling at MacGregor, autonomous crane operation improves efficiency and safety, as discharging operations can be monitored from the bridge, without the need for personnel in hazardous operational areas and it can also minimize unnecessary waste in the value chain.
Mr Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director at ESL Shipping Oy, informed that the new LNG-fueled vessels will be operated in a demanding trade with high number of voyages, port calls and crane operation hours annually.
The vessels are planned to enter service during the second quarter of 2018, when automation testing will commence.
