Equipment

Seaports Extract Value from Facility Technologies in New Ways

Sustainability increasingly is at the forefront of the strategic mission of ports throughout North America, but successfully meeting ambitious green energy goals is rarely a straightforward process.

Propane is a low emissions energy source for a variety of port applications.

Security and surveillance are among top uses, but ports are deploying unmanned aerial systems for a raft of applications ranging from surveying construction sites to filming videos to boost community relations.

Hands-on doesn’t necessarily mean on-site, especially as ports explore new ways to improve processing, extend their reach and become more resilient.

Routine, yet never repetitive, dredging operations challenge ports and encourage them to work together, communicate, plan and persevere. Photo courtesy of Jim Jagar, Port of Alaska By Sandy Smith At the Port of Alaska, dredging is an annual occurrence. Under a contract funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than 1 million cubic yards of material is removed ...

Revolutionary Strides Being Made with Cranes, Conveyors and Equipment Options for Ports Equating to Drastic Changes in Operations and AestheticsBy Lori Musser One of the few constants in the dynamic field of seaport operations is that cargo must move between ships and other modes. But the cranes, conveyors and other equipment that shift cargo from ship to shore-based mode of ...

To grow, seaports have to selectively invest and update. But they can’t do it alone. They call on firms – ranging from global EPCs to small niche contractors – that specialize in helping bring port capital projects to fruition. * By Lori Musser * To grow, seaports have to selectively invest and update. Whether ports are deepening waterways, building capacity, ...

As yard equipment and cranes that are more efficient, cleaner, safer and more inter-connected come into service, seaport workforces must be ready too. Labor is upgrading skill sets to keep pace with rapid advancements in technology. * By Lori Musser * Cargo handling equipment developments are bringing greater productivity, velocity, safety and even emissions reductions to ports. While automation projects ...

Changes in ship sizes, especially the differences in sizes, are requiring ports to consistently update the way in which these ships are received and processed and the infrastructure needed to do so. * By Mary Lou Jay * Over the past two decades, the largest vessels in the world’s shipping fleet have more than doubled in size. In 2005, the ...