Terex Port Solutions (TPS) received several orders for diesel-electric powered Terex® straddle carriers from leading container terminal operators. This strengthens the company’s position as one of the leading suppliers in this product segment. “Our machines have established themselves in the market with their reliability and performance,” says Guido Luini, Managing Director of TPS in Würzburg. “They are also well-known for their modern diesel-electric drive concept, which provides economical operation with low pollutant and noise emissions. We have already delivered about 900 straddle carriers and sprinter carriers with this drive system all over the world.” Orders from Antwerp for a large number of machines The Belgian terminal operator PSA Antwerp NV (PSA) has just ordered eleven Terex NSC 634 E straddle carriers. From March 2014, these units will supplement the existing fleet in PSA’s various terminals in the Port of Antwerp. PSA Antwerp NV is part of the PSA International Group, a leading global port operator. The new vehicles will be fitted with custom equipment, including swivelling driver seats for improved ergonomics and other technical modifications to help PSA reduce maintenance costs and to provide secure operation.  Seamless integration into existing infrastructure Another order for four Terex NSC 634 E and three Terex NSC 644 E straddle carriers comes from Antwerp as well. From December this year, these units will be going to the terminal operator MSC Home Terminal, a joint venture of PSA and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s second largest shipping line. These vehicles will also be customised with complete hardware and software for seamless integration into the existing operational infrastructure. This includes camera systems for exact positioning under the ship-to-shore cranes and interface modules for wireless operating data acquisition and remote servicing. Comprehensive fleet expansion in South Africa In the last few months, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), a division of the state-owned South African logistics group Transnet SOC Ltd., placed follow-up orders for a total of twenty-two Terex NSC 644 E straddle carriers. TPT operates terminals in seven South African ports, including Durban, where 28 straddle carriers from TPS have been operated since 2012. Within the framework of an enlargement of the port, the existing fleet in Durban is being expanded with 18 new machines, 13 of which were delivered recently, with the rest following in April 2014. The order package was completed by four more machines for the container terminal in Capetown for delivery in February 2014 Win-win situation for equipment supplier and operators TPS has had successful customer relations with the three operators mentioned for many years which, in addition to the supply of straddle carriers, also include maintenance and support services. “That is a win-win situation for both sides,” says Luini. “Terminal operators profit from state-of-the-art technology which supports efficient cargo handling and, in this way, meets the desire of their customers for improved economy. Another advantage is the environmental friendliness of the drive units, which help our customers to meet the continually stricter requirements for emission control in ports. On the other side, we are constantly learning from the operators of our machines, so we can work continuously on their further development and adapt them to the markets of the future. Convincing performance, efficient drive technology The new Terex straddle carriers for PSA and MSC Home Terminal have a load capacity of 50 t, while those for TPT can carry up to 65 t. The Terex NSC 644 E straddle carrier can stack 1 over 3 containers and reaches a speed of 24 kph, while the Terex NSC 634 E straddle carrier can stack 1 over 2 containers and has a maximum speed of 30 kph. Common to all machines is their efficient diesel-electric drive. TPS also supplies straddle carriers and sprinter carriers with hybrid drive systems. In these units, the diesel generator is supported by a short-term energy storage unit (a package of high performance capacitors, called ultracaps) which further reduces fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. These efficient machines have proven themselves in many years of use worldwide and, recently, ten vehicles started operation in the HPH container terminal in Freeport, Bahamas.