APM Terminals Gothenburg has managed to cut quay crane waiting times by as much as 90% by implementing new standard operational procedures for container lashing. This translates to a reduction from 38 minutes to just four.
Using ‘Lean’ methodology, which is being adopted across all of the company’s terminals around the world, a Transformation Team at APM Terminals Gothenburg identified the root cause of the time delay – inaccurate information provided to the vessel crew.
As a result, the team has implemented a revised process to ensure that the information sent out to each vessel call is clear, accurate and standardized.
Vessel crews now commence unlashing in the order and sequence required to optimize the operation. The sequence is determined by a number of factors, such as container weight, optimal position in the yard or stack, and where the cargo will be loaded/offloaded next.
Ensuring that the team start unlashing in the correct bay, with the right container, ensures that operators on the quay can start the discharge directly.
Completing the operation faster enables vessels to continue their onward journey much sooner, with associated cost savings.
Commenting on the initiative, APM Terminals Gothenburg Chief Operating Officer Magnus Lundberg says, “I’m proud to see our team’s strong focus on the customer as well as on operational efficiency. Our local improvement cycles are based on the Lean methodology and have brought new knowledge and developed solutions that reduce crane waiting time at the lashing startup.”
Located in the largest container port in Scandinavia, APM Terminals Gothenburg is the only terminal in Sweden capable of handling the world’s largest 19,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels.