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VICT another fi rst
VICT: ANOTHER FIRST
VICT Melbourne is implementing a major expansion programme with new ship-to-shore crane specifi cations consolidating its reputation as an innovator and gamechanger
Victoria International Container Terminals (VICT) is chalking up another fi rst in the port of Melbourne and Australia as a whole.
As part of the two-step phase 3 expansion of VICT, the company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ICTSI, has recently confirmed an order with China-based crane builder ZPMC for two out of three new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes able to serve vessels with a beam of up to 55m (across 22 container rows) and possessing a lifting height of 49m. They will be the first cranes deployed in Australia and Oceania able to serve Ultra Large Container Carriers of up to 18.000TEU.
The specification of the cranes reflects the belief that the trend, already underway, of larger and larger vessels being introduced into mainline Australian trades will be maintained. The largest vessel handled at VICT to-date possessed a capacity of nearly 11,000TEU, a significant step up from the largest vessel in Australian trade in 2019, the 7455TEU capacity E.R. Long Beach. In the near term, VICT management foresees the arrival of 14,000 – 15,000TEU vessels with the provision for handling vessels up to 18,000TEU designed to future proof the terminal over the longer term.
Vessel access arrangements in Melbourne have been enhanced by work undertaken by the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) which includes diverse simulation studies that confirm the ability of 14,000 – 15,000TEU vessels to manoeuvre through the challenging Port Phillip Heads. PoMC has stated publicly that due to limited growth in vessel operational draughts – actual and foreseen - it does not need to undertake major deepening or dredging activities but instead is focused on improvements by way of instruments such as: higher precision navigation and berthing aids (GPS systems and laser guided berthing) as well as the introduction of more powerful and manoeuvrable tugs etc., activities which also require other port companies ‘to get onboard.’
Just recently PoMC has approved trials for vessels up to 350m LOA, current limitations are 347mLOA.
MAJOR CAPACITY BOOST
The two new STS cranes installed under the first part of the expansion phase and one to follow in the second part will operate in conjunction with the five existing units along an extended quay line. PoMC has announced that it will remove a knuckle and extend VICT’s existing 660.58 quay by 71m to give a 731.58m (768.98m including mooring dolphins) continuous quay, enabling the simultaneous berthing of 350m and 367m long vessels. This development, combined with an upgrade of landside operating arrangements, will ultimately see full utilisation of the near 50 per cent of VICT’s existing terminal footprint that is undeveloped.
In keeping with its fully automated status – the original ‘first’ achieved by VICT in Melbourne and Australia – six new Automated Container Carriers (ACC) have recently been delivered and six Automated Stacking Cranes (ASC) are scheduled for delivery from Kalmar. They will work alongside the 11 ACC and 20 ASC existing units that comprise the backbone of yard handling operations.
VICT: Australia’s biggest STS cranes on the way ‘‘
VICT’s automated operations are powered by the Kalmar One Automation System – a complete end-to-end system that combines Kalmar automated equipment and a preintegrated and tested software solution. The system includes the recently upgraded Navis N4 Terminal Operating System and the Kalmar Automated Truck Handling System in addition to the ACC and ASC units.
The effectiveness of the automated system overall has been proven with box exchanges as large as 12,700TEU in a single call.
Part 1 of the Phase 3 expansion will realise a 25 per cent increase in terminal capacity, up to a level of 1.25mTEU/ yr entailing a total investment of A$150m. The Part 2 expansion will increase capacity to 1.5mTEU/yr and entail a further investment of A$85 million totalling A$235m overall.
The overall development effectively consolidates VICT’s status as the driving force in Melbourne and Australia’s efforts to keep pace with the new requirements of the country’s premier container trades.
8 The near
