Posted to News on 31st Jan 2020, 10:18
Connecting container ships to shore power
Improving efficiency when handling bulk cargo from increasingly large ships is all the more important when speed and fast turnarounds are needed. Does traditional, stationary shore power fit into this picture? What do shore power connections look like for new terminals?
With greenfield sites, igus offers a new system called the igus Mobile Shore Power Outlet (iMSPO), which involves embedding the shore power system into the quayside from day one. With old terminals that have to cope with different sized vessels, potentially anything from 10 to 20 different outlets would be needed. By embedding the iMSPO in the quayside, the shore power system can reach any part along a 400m stretch of quayside on demand, with potential for twin systems in each area.
igus has produced a short video that shows how the system works for powering vessels at various berthing positions. Operation and control of the iMSPO is via a simple pendant. Connection and disconnection of the power lines and ancillaries are both ergonomic and convenient, with added strain relief and safety features on the cables. The control unit itself stores out of the way to minimise encroachment into work area during power on. As per any remote system, both visual and audible warning signals alert that the iMSPO is in motion or there is a fault condition.
Follow the link for more information about shore power.
Want the latest machine building news straight to your inbox? Become a MachineBuilding member for free today >>
