Cosco invests 10 million in hybrid cranes and accelerates the electrification of the Port of Bilbao
The electrification of the docks is one of the great projects that the Port of Bilbao together with the reorganization and management of new spaces. The process of installing infrastructures for the supply of electricity to ships starts at the end of this year with the first concessions and will be ready in 2025 with a planned investment of more than 50 million euros.
Hand in hand with this route outlined by the Port Authority, other private initiatives are emerging that also contribute to improving energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the Port. The main stevedoring company in Bilbao, CSP (Cosco Shipping Ports) has announced this week that it is going to install six hybrid cranes to handle containers, the first structures of the RTG (Rubber Tired Gantry) type in hybrid character that are installed in Europe.
With a global investment of 20 million, the firm plans to install low-consumption cranes once at its terminals in Bilbao and Valencia, of which half a dozen correspond to the Biscayan capital and the rest to the Mediterranean city. “An investment that improves productivity in the Bilbao and Valencian docks, reduces the environmental impact and is committed to new technology, better operability and increased safety for handlers,” says Cosco on its website.
By October 2023
The new cranes will be fully operational from the end of October 2023. These hybrid RTG structures, designed by the Finnish Konecranes, allow diesel to be combined with electricity and save around 50% of fuel compared to conventional ones. In addition, CSP indicates that, in terms of safety and ergonomics, they have state-of-the-art systems such as laser anti-collision, anti-lift trucks and trailers, and remote monitoring systems.
And the company adds another relevant factor, in addition to lower fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions, such as a less noise pollution also one of the great objectives of the general electrification plan for the Port of Bilbao.
Specifically, OPS technology will be used to power the ships while they remain at the dock with a dozen connection points, and it is also planned to install a submarine cable to power the Getxo cruise ships. The investment will have significant backing from european fundsup to 14 million euros.
“We are the advance guard and the reference for the other ports”, said the president of the Port Authority, Ricardo Barkala, who defends in each public appearance that energy and climate sustainability must be one of the main drivers of the medium-term competitiveness of the Port of Bilbao.