Realtime Business Solutions (RBS) has signed another contract with Pelindo 1 on August 2018 for PT Prima Terminal Petikemas in Medan, Indonesia (PTP). PTP follows in the footsteps of PT Prima Multipurpose Terminal in Kuala Tanjung, Indonesia, as it orders identical ARTGs from Konecranes and adopting the RBS TOPS Expert System. The Go Live date for this Terminal is planned to be in the early months of 2020. RBS is glad to be part of the new Automation wave in the Indonesian terminals.

Pelindo 1 has teamed up with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and DP-World to develop an integrated port – PT Prima Multipurpose Terminal in Kuala Tanjung, Indonesia (PTM). The multipurpose terminal has a 30,000 square metre dock and a 2.8 kilometre trestle for four truck lanes with a width of 18.5 meters. With huge investments of US$2.5 billion into the Multipurpose terminal, PTM adopted Konecranes’ Automated RTGs (ARTGs) for their operations, along with RBS TOPS Expert System to control and manage their operations. RBS TOPX Expert system is fully integrated with the Konecranes’ automation and works together to improve operational efficiency. The contract with RBS was signed in July 2018 and RBS TOPS successful Go Live was on 15/02/19. With its new automated equipment and integrated TOS, PTM has a positive outlook to achieve its goals for 2019 and years to come.

The implementation was done by RBS together with the local partner and in close cooperation with the customer. This setup bring the best value to the customer with local experience and the proven automation approach from RBS.

In this implementation the customer benefited from the experience and the proven solution of RBS together with Konecranes which is already implemented on other terminals. The approach to control the equipment from the TOS and talk directly to the equipment control system, PTM can gain all the benefit of a true real-­time system with the fast and efficient decision taking and dispatching. This has been proven extremely important in automated terminals, so that the TOS can react fast on operational interruptions.

Conventional logistics no longer sustain growing pressures to meet customer’s demands of immediate delivery. As a result, terminals are turning to automation as a strategy to accelerate cargo flow. The steep decline in inefficient operations, costs, injuries, and environmental impacts are the primary benefits derived from the employment of automation. However, only 3%-13% of terminals worldwide are either partially or fully automated. So why do terminals refrain from such an opportunity?

Inefficiencies in terminals cost the Container Handling Industry a massive $17 billion a year, and yet most of the advantages of automation are left disregarded. Consequently, ports and marine terminals are inhibited from reaching their full potential in operational efficiency and may confront the risk of becoming obsolete.

The problem is, terminal operators, omit to automation due to reasons varying from unions to costs. A large portion of terminal operating executives and managers favor more equipment as opposed to intelligent IT software which is another factor constituting to the resistance to automation. Reduced transparency in terminal data is a repercussion that arises in the absence of automation. This is because data recorded for when a container is being loaded, discharged, stored, and moved, will not be entirely accurate or standardized if exercised manually.

However, the initial finances required to invest in the implementation of automation in terminals remain as the biggest deterrent. Most terminal operators are unfamiliar with the scalable aspect of automation. It is critical to note that automation modules can be scaled accordingly to match the budget provided while still satisfying all set requirements. Therefore, if terminal operators can endorse a prospective outlook, a substantial spike in cost savings, operational efficiency, and ROI, can be recognized.

Don’t let the budget define the limits to your cost savings. Take control, let automation do all the hard work and witness the success.

In December 2018 new container cranes have been delivered to the Multipurpose Terminal in Pelindo 1, Indonesia. The Kuala Tanjung Multipurpose Terminal (KTMT) Port, North Sumatra, will extend its services with these new container cranes. Together with the STS cranes, the terminal will operate automated RTGs (ARTGs) with the RBS TOPS System as the central TOS to control and manage the operations.

Read more under IDN.

Based on this success also Konecranes has been selected to implement automated rubber tired gantry cranes (ARTGs) at the next automation project at Pelindo III in Semarang. This is the industry’s first ARTG terminal delivered.

Both terminals run the RBS terminal operating system (TOS) with the planning and operation module of TOPS. The TOPX module is fully integrated with the Konecranes automation and works hand-in-Hand.

Read more at Konecranes.