Casper, Phillips & Associates Inc. (CP&A) has overseen the commissioning of the first two of six new ship-to-shore container cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) at GCT Deltaport, Canada’s flagship container terminal.
CP&A, specialists in specification, design, manufacturing review, modification, and accident investigation, initially advised on the largest cranes that could be installed at the site to handle the world’s biggest container vessels. The six cranes are identical, with a rated load of 65t, a 70m outreach, lift height of 52m, and a 30.48m rail gauge.
Located at Roberts Bank in Delta, British Columbia, the 210-acre Deltaport terminal features a 3,609-ft. berth and 27,350 ft. of dock rail, typically holding more than 18,000 containers on site. For this project, CP&A carried out a structural and mechanical review of ZPMC’s design, while GCT’s in-house engineers managed electrical and control aspects.
The cranes are designed for remote operation once infrastructure is in place. They feature ship profiling to avoid collisions with container stacks and a chassis alignment system to help drivers position trailers correctly. “Once the design complied with the specifications, construction began, where we managed on-site fabrication inspections,” said Richard Phillips, mechanical engineer at CP&A. “We then witnessed the final commissioning and acceptance testing, required by federal regulations.”
With demolition of older cranes ongoing, the first two replacements are expected to be operational by the end of September. CP&A also recently supported GCT with its Site Wind Analysis and Monitor (SWAM) program.
