Breakbulk cargo volumes have been declining over the past years, and with commodities like coffee and cotton continuing to move to containerized transport, breakbulk terminal operators are looking to stay in the game.
To win new clients and satisfy current customers, terminal operators need to stay competitive by improving efficiencies and accelerating vessel turn cycles, according to lift truck designer and manufacturer Hyster Company.
“Terminal operations are looking for tailored solutions that allow them to do more with less,” said Brett Schemerhorn, President Big Trucks for Hyster Company. “By working with Hyster Company, terminal operators have access to a team of highly-trained engineers and industry experts that can help them design the right cargo handling process and select a lift truck to fit their specific material handling needs.”
At this year’s Breakbulk Americas Show in Houston from September 27-29, attendees will have a chance to see the Hyster H360HD2 with Tier 4 Final engine, as well as learn more about the customization options and special engineering solutions the company offers to help meet specific operational goals.
“Every operation is different, especially when dealing with complex breakbulk, project and roll-on/roll-off freight, so it is not surprising that the majority of our big trucks feature custom engineering to overcome a specific challenge,” Schemerhorn said.
For example, recently a customer needed to use a 90,000-pound capacity forklift to work the hold of vessels calling on the terminal. However, the crane available did not have enough capacity to lift the forklift into the vessel in one pick. “Hyster engineered a removable counterweight that detaches automatically when lifted. This allowed the crane to easily move the machine in two lifts,” Schemerhorn said.