Floating Cranes - A Solution for Anchorage Ports
AAE (M)
Gujarat Maritime Board
GMB has been the forerunner in the Maritime Sector accounting for around 26% of the National material handling activity by promoting private sector participation through PPP route. With a view to further enhance this figure in its favour, GMB is seeking massive developments for its ports’ infrastructure to achieve its all time three major objectives i.e.
1. Continuous Capacity Additions,
2. Technology upgradation for cargo handling, storage and evacuation
3. Port led Industrial Development.
1. Continuous Capacity Additions,
2. Technology upgradation for cargo handling, storage and evacuation
3. Port led Industrial Development.
In this context, GMB is presently exploring the possibilities of taking massive steps for mechanizing the port operations at various non-mechanized ports operated by GMB. Currently, majority of the ports operated by GMB have traditional methods of material handling systems such as excavators which invite a lot of spillage and environmental issues impacting the total efficiency of the Port. Also, most of the GMB operated ports are anchorage ports with shallow drafts available which limit the size of the vessel entering the jetty area. To counter this limitation, GMB has proposed deploying advanced cargo handling facilities like Floating Cranes at its various ports. This initiative of deployment Floating cranes at GMB ports shall ensure better demand for the ports and shall compensate for problems like shallow drafts at some older ports.
Looking at the present scenario, GMB operated ports have diverse marine conditions including the available infrastructure. Hence, providing similar mechanization facilities at all the ports seems a little infeasible. In this situation, Floating Cranes can prove to be an ideal material handling solution which would render solutions to most of the problems and limitations faced by GMB ports in today's scenario.
Floating Crane - The concept :
Floating Crane is a crane mounted on a barge / pontoon. It is used to load or unload the cargo to/from gearless vessels i.e. Vessel having no cranes onboard. It can be used for Ship to ship handling, Ship to Shore Handling and even Midstream transfer i.e. in an open sea. Major cargos that can be handled using floating cranes are Dry bulk like Coal / coke, Iron ore, bauxite, F & FRM, Food grains, Steel & other metal products, Containers, Project / general cargo, Heavy lifts etc. These cranes are most suitable for ports where no direct berthing facility is available.
Benefits of Floating Cranes :
The deployment of Floating Cranes can facilitate operation in shallow waters especially for the ports which are anchorage ports. Floating cranes facilitate operations where wharf side operations are restricted or where wharf space available is limited. They can also be used as a backup if land based cranes are under maintenance facilitating continuous flow of material handling. Floating cranes can also facilitate material transfer from one jetty to another through waterway ensuring remarkably faster material handling rates at ports. Floating cranes are also proposed to ensure reduced vessel turnaround time ultimately resulting in savings in freight by chartering gearless vessels.
Floating Cranes and GMB's plans:
The proposed planning of Navlakhi Port for instance, includes deployment of floating cranes to tackle the problems of shallow draft and older jetties where jetties have not been designed to take additional loads of mobile harbour crane operations. The proposal also includes deployment of advanced conveyor system to facilitate quicker barge unloading and wagon loading system to facilitate quicker material evacuation from the port. The proposed material handling system would boost its current material handling capacity of 4.5 MT per year to around 7.5 MT per year at a Grab unloading efficiency of 65%. These initiatives shall also reduce the vessel turnaround time for ships at GMB ports. The proposed system at Navlakhi would be able to discharge a Panamax ship of 70,000 DWT in 3.15 days and a Panamax ship of 60,000 DWT in 2.7 Days. Similarly, the proposed system at Okha will be able to discharge a Handymax ship of 50,000 DWT in just 2.9 Days.
Similar developments and mechanization of GMB ports are proposed to be undertaken in near future which would ensure that GMB ports are ready to handle the increased demand as well as would be ready to serve the hinterland in a better and efficient manner.