All-electric ro-ro ships enter service
MacGregor electrically-driven stern quarter ramp on ‘Cattleya Ace’
According to Cargotec’s MacGregor division, the first vehicle carrier ships to features all-electric ro-ro equipment are now entering service, with Japanese carrier Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).
The 4,000-unit PCTC Iris Ace features an electrically-driven MacGregor stern quarter ramp/door, side ramps and two movable ramps from Cargotec. Iris Ace was delivered from Japanese shipbuilder, Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding earlier this year and was followed into operation by a pair of 6,400-unit PCCs, Cattleya Ace and Carnation Ace, from the same builder. Each of these two ships features an electrically-driven MacGregor stern quarter ramp/door, a centre ramp/door and six movable ramps. All equipment is operated by electric winches and actuators, eliminating the use of hydraulic oil in the operating system.
"Shin-Kurushima, MOL and Cargotec are all committed to clean seas," says Magnus Sjöberg, sales director for ro-ro ships at Cargotec. "The co-operation between the companies has resulted in these exceptionally efficient, environmentally-friendly vessels. Our collaboration was an essential part of this technology's development; and we are seeing a steadily growing demand for it".
"On average, electric drives consume less energy than their hydraulic equivalents, therefore, their introduction into MOL's recent newbuilds was a natural progression in the company's environmental initiatives," says Sjöberg. "When you replace hydraulically-powered deck machinery with electric versions, one of the greatest environmental benefits that you gain is the elimination of potential hydraulic oil leaks. These cause pollution and can also damage cargo. It was the high incidence of cargo damage that was a primary concern for car manufacturers, who ultimately put pressure on shipowners to come up with a solution to the problem."
Last year Cargotec and the Shin-Kurushima Dockyard group also signed further agreements for four PCCs to be fitted with fully electrically-driven ro-ro access equipment.
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