Future-Proofing Asset Monitoring at Ports and Container Terminals

Here is a great piece from one of our valued Product Partners, Tan Delta Systems

The infrastructure-heavy operation at seaport, marine and inter-modal terminals, face increasing demand for efficient and cost-effective operation. Advanced equipment and technology underpins port performance, and productivity hinges upon robust asset management.

The majority of port infrastructure (including Container Cranes, Straddle Carriers, Shiploaders and Hoppers) have a useful economic life of up to 50 years, however an increasing portfolio of ageing and expensive assets over time leads to an increase in exposure to business risk. Research suggests that issues resulting from the application of inadequate or incorrect maintenance procedures cause roughly 25% of the total cost of equipment damage and that satisfying short-term operational needs can lead to major asset downtime due to unplanned maintenance and catastrophic failure.

Increasing global trade is increasing the demand for more infrastructure to combat port congestion problems. Subsequently there has been an increasing industry focus on equipment lifecycle management, and real-time condition monitoring and maintenance strategies as part of a wider approach to the managing of an entire portfolio of assets.

Oil condition monitoring plays a fundamental role in total asset management. Accurate, high quality oil condition analysis provides a deep insight into the health and status of port equipment. Contamination can quickly lead to oil losing its lubrication properties and equipment damage. Small unseen issues, which if left to develop will cause a major breakdown, are reflected in changes in oil condition, and as oil condition degrades with use, you can pin-point the exact time for maintenance, extending intervals without risk.

Tan Delta sensors were fitted to the primary hydraulic systems of Container Cranes in a busy South African port. An operator panel was installed in each, providing a simple traffic light condition status, whilst live data was streamed back to the maintenance centre. The data enabled the port to extend the intervals between servicing thus reducing direct operating costs, also providing reassurance that in the event of an unexpected issue, an alert would be provided, and action taken in a planned and controlled manner before any equipment damage had occurred.

“Since the installation we have seen a significant reduction of 32% in our oil consumption. We were replacing our oil prematurely and have since been able to streamline our maintenance across the whole port. With a total project payback of 6 months this technology forms a crucial part of our asset management strategy, and has helped provide complete visibility, tracking and actionable predictive insights across the port”. – Port Operations Manager, South Africa.