Emissions Reduction of Heavy Lifting Equipment at Ports

Shipping, ports and logistics is a critical part of international import and export markets and supports the global distribution of goods. Concerns and legislative requirements about climate change and local air quality impacts require the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping and ports sector. It means that the industry must prepare for the new future. ABP is the UK's leading port operator with a network of 21 ports across Britain ABP handles around one-quarter of the nation's seaborne trade, contributing £7.5 billion to the economy every year and supporting 119,000 jobs. ABP also operates one of the UK's busiest rail terminals at Hams Hall in the Midlands. Whilst new equipment is being replaced by greener options; the challenge is to improve and update equipment that has a long ROI.

Opportunity

Challenge opens

02/09/2019

Challenge closes

31/10/2019

Benefit

The Innovation Exchange programme is working alongside Associated British Ports(ABP) to assist them in reaching out to innovators to help them solve a significant challenge they are trying to overcome in relation to energy systems and the conversion of site equipment to environmentally future-proofed sustainable solutions. ABP are looking to identify transferable solutions to its innovation needs.

Shipping, ports and logistics is a critical part of international import and export markets and supports the global distribution of goods. Concerns and legislative requirements about climate change and local air quality impacts require the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping and ports sector. It means that the industry must prepare for the new future.

ABP is the UK's leading port operator with a network of 21 ports across Britain

ABP handles around one-quarter of the nation's seaborne trade, contributing £7.5 billion to the economy every year and supporting 119,000 jobs. ABP also operates one of the UK's busiest rail terminals at Hams Hall in the Midlands.

Whilst new equipment is being replaced by greener options; the challenge is to improve and update equipment that has a long ROI.

Challenge 2: Emissions Reduction of Heavy Lifting Equipment at Ports

Resources used in Lifting of containers onto lorries or trains, movement of goods around the port area are consuming significant quantities of energy which is usually carbon generated and a notable source of port emissions, it is important for ABP to develop their equipment towards a greener option which doesn’t involve replacing all existing equipment but reducing and improving its green credibility to meet a target of ‘zero Carbon’ for 2050 and to meet national air quality objectives.

Rationale:
1. Increased focus on port related air quality and emissions

2. Rising fuel costs as a result of the escalating price of oil. 

3. Environmental regulations introduced to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

4. The potential introduction of carbon taxes. 

5. Zero carbon for 2050 - city regions advancing the clean air targets.

ABP are actively looking for solutions that will;

(i)      Lower the energy demand

(ii) Reduce fuel use

(iii)    Reduce emissions

The movement of goods, parts and containers on docks requires significant capacity in lifting equipment e.g. Mobile Harbour Cranes with lifting capacity of 100 to 200 tonnes. At the smaller end of the scale ABP use reach stackers with lifting capacity up to 45 tonnes and forklifts with a lifting capacity of 2 to 3 tonnes.  

Hundreds of heavy lifts occur each and every day, and hundreds of thousands a year e.g. Immingham Container Terminal alone handles 183,000 containers pa and sees 2,500 HGV movements each week, using cranes that can lift 45 tonnes and reach stackers. 

Much of the machinery is owned and maintained by ABP and therefore able to adopt new approaches that can deliver a more environmentally sustainable system.  Specific to this issue, ABP operate a wide range of construction, maintenance and cargo handling plant & equipment including, but not limited to;

  • Mobile excavators and loading shovels 
  • Lift trucks and tele-handlers
  • Container handlers including fork-type, reach-stackers and straddle-carriers
  • Continuous ship unloaders and loading elevators
  • Industrial and harbour-type mobile and rail mounted cranes for general cargo, bulks and container handling operations
  • Rail equipment for moving goods on site

This equipment is predominantly diesel-operated, but ABP have a range of power sources for newer equipment including electric, diesel-hydraulic, diesel-electric, hybrid and battery. 

Fuel consumption and costs

ABP spend >£1m on powering their port plant and equipment, in terms of plant and equipment; including cranes, cargo handling equipment and internal movement vehicles, which consume approximately 3.15 million litres of fuel p.a.

Whilst not limiting the technologies from solution providers, it is expected that solutions would consider innovations from some of the following areas:

  • Alternative fuels 
  • Photovoltaic solar modules including solar thermal
  • Hydrogen fuel cells 
  • Hybrid approaches
  • New engine design/modifications/management systems 
  • Batteries
  • Fuel cells
  • Hydrogen
  • Hydraulics
  • Flywheel technologies or inertia systems.
  • Smart controllers and telemetry.
  • Energy generation and re use

Rewards and benefits 

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to the Challenger. 

The package may also include: 

  • Support from the Catapult networks and the KTN
  • Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
  • Technical support
  • Invitation to attend or present at KTN or Catapult events
  • A potential business collaboration
  • Investor introductions (if investment is required)
  • Review for any relevant Innovate competitions related to clean air to support Solution Requirements 

Functional Requirements

  • Lifting capacity and manoeuvrability can’t be compromised by any solutions proposed.
  • Solutions must be retrofit for a wide range of different sized engines.
  • Entry and Egress from machinery must remain safe and easy 

Technical Characteristics

  • The equipment must be able to operate in exposed coastal environments.
  • Equipment ranges from a Gottwald Harbour Crane to Reach stackers to Forklift trucks.

Operating Conditions

  • Portside/land based only
  • Exposed location
  • Standard lifting regulations apply (LOLER)
  • Solutions can’t limit access or escape to cranes
  • Solutions must not compromise the safe working load of existing machinery.

Deployment Timescale:             Launch of the Competition: 2nd September 2019 

                                                 Deadline for applications: 31st October 2019

                                                 Selection and notification of finalists: TBA

Solutions should be: 

  • Fully deployable for prototype for testing within 9- 12 months of competition win.
  • Full commercial deployment by the end of 2025(there are operational sites that a solution could start work on immediately if the system is already commercially available). 

Cost requirement and market opportunity

  • All solutions will be viewed with potential payback in the first year of use, as the fuel bill for plant and equipment (up to £1-2m across ABP for plant and equipment) is significant, both return on investment and reduction in carbon will be carefully considered.
  • Investment will be in proportion to the saving. 

Eligibility and assessment criteria

Entrants to this competition must be: 

  1. Established businesses, start-ups, SMEs or individual entrepreneurs
  2. UK based or have the intention to set up a UK base 

Applications will be assessed on: 

  • Relevance to the topic
  • Innovative nature of the subject
  • Coherence of the proposed business model
  • Feasibility/ economic viability
  • Development potential
  • Maturity of project/solution
  • Ability to launch project quickly/Ease of implementation
  • Price/quality ratio
  • Suitability for the UK and European Market 

IP and Potential Commercial Route 

  • Existing background IP associated with a potential solution will remain with Solution Provider(s). Where any new IP generation is envisaged, it will be subject to the mutual IP agreement of the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger.
  • Any commercial deployment of transferred solution or newly developed solution, through licensing, joint venture, partnership or direct investment, will be subject to the commercial agreement between the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger.
  • Where necessary, a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may be signed to uphold confidentiality in the engagement between the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger. This would be at the point of business engagement; pitches would expect to have key IP information removed and performance improvement described.
  • Innovate UK and KTN do not take any share of IP ownership or enter into commercial venture through the EnSiX programme.

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