Press Release | Quay Crane Anti-Collision Systems

TT Club urges Quay Crane Anti-Collision Systems

3 July 2007

The TT Club is strongly urging container terminal operators to fit electronic sensor devices to quay crane booms to prevent them accidentally colliding with vessels during loading and unloading operations in port.

The TT Club says that crane booms colliding with the structure or equipment of a ship is an all-to-common occurrence at almost every port around the world, causing serious injuries to workers and costly repairs and operational downtime.

In advising its Members and the industry at large, TT Club highlights the frequency of such collisions, and recommends installing effective boom anti-collision systems. "Modern electronic sensors to can nearly eliminate this type of incident", the Club states. "Depending on the boom structure one or two sensors are required. At a cost of about Euro 8,000 per sensor this is well worth the investment, especially when one considers that a recent incident caused over Euro 3,000,000 of damage and the crane was out of service for 6 months. ".

Among the various types of device currently in use, the simplest consists of wires run along the length of the crane boom, which activate a switch to stop the crane if they are hit. However, this system may not stop the crane fully before a collision occurs, and, while better than nothing, does not provide the level of protection afforded by electronic sensing devices.

Among commonly used electronic sensors are a laser based unit supplied by Sick Sensor Intelligence and a radar based unit from Navtech Electronic Ltd. These sensors allow programming to provide separate warning, slow down, and stop signals to help prevent collisions. Sensor units need to be kept clean, so require access, and a solid mounting system to ensure vibration does not cause operational errors. Laser units can be affected by the sun shining on the laser sensor - but this is a problem that can easily be resolved by consulting the manufacturer Sick. The radar sensor is expensive relative to other units and can suffer from dead zones created by the trolley when using only one sensor.

Laurence Jones, the TT Club's Risk Assessment Manager, strongly recommends the installation of such devices. "We would urge operators to retro-fit effective electronic sensor systems suitable for the specific application to existing cranes and to specify them when ordering new cranes. A great deal of damage and loss can be prevented for a relatively small investment. While we recommend the two devices we have highlighted, if members know of alternative sensors which can provide effective protection, we would ask them to inform the TT Club so we can share this information with others."

---ENDS---

Note to Editors:

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry's leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club's membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits that include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

For more information on the sensors visit

www.sick.com

and

www.nav-tech.com

Photograph

A high resolution digital image of Laurence Jones is available from the ISIS Communications Press Room at

www.isiscomms.com

or on request from

info@isiscomms.com

For further information please contact:

Ian Lush, Marketing Director, TT Club

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7204 2642