Tech Talk: Self-Propelled Mobile Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridge

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Transportation and Construction Engineering, Ltd. (MHI-TC), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has built and completed delivery to Yokohama City of the Mitsubishi Marine Bridge (MMB), a self-propelled mobile seaport passenger boarding bridge (SPBB). Manufactured at MHI's Mihara Machinery Works in Hiroshima Prefecture, the MMB was put into service at Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal on January 13. Capable of connecting to the large cruise ships that dock at Osanbashi, this is MHI-TC's first delivery of a mobile MMB.

The MMB protects passengers from inclement weather and temperature, ensuring safe, secure, and comfortable passenger movement. In addition, passengers do not need to descend to the wharf, enhancing security and making more effective use of wharf space. The autonomous driving function of the mobile MMB was designed by MHI-TC by applying technology developed for the company's fully automated docking system for airport passenger boarding bridges (PBBs). The main characteristics are as follows.

Features of the Mobile MMB

1. 16-wheel independent steering control:
   Mobility is made possible by eight-wheeled, independently controlled steering units at the front and rear of the MMB. These steering controls allow the bridge to turn at the end of the pier, so it can potentially operate on both the Shinko side and Yamashita side of the wharf.
2. GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) automated driving:
   The mobile MMB is equipped with an automated driving function utilizing GNSS. This autonomous driving function is based on technology developed for the fully automated docking system for airport PBBs.
3. Flexible docking system:
   The flexible docking system is adaptable to different docking positions on the terminal side, and different passenger access door positions on the ship side.
4. Self-generated power:
   The front and rear driving units on the MMB are each equipped with generators, making an external power supply unnecessary. As an environmental feature, it is possible to switch to a land-based power supply when in use as a bridge.
5. Trackless driving:
   Since the MMB does not need rails or other tracks, the wharf can be used efficiently for cargo handling and the passage of related vehicles.
6. Move/Standby function:
   When not in use, the MMB can move to a position where it will not be in the way.
7. Universal Design:
   Following the design philosophy of passenger boarding bridges, the mobile MMB has a gently sloping ramp for passengers to move between the terminal and the ship.

The Port of Yokohama opened in 1859, and the current Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal was completed in 2002. It is the port of registry for the cruise ships ASUKAⅡand ASUKAⅢ, and one of the top ports in Japan for the number of cruise ship visits. Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal is also a tourist attraction, visited by more than three million people annually.

MHI-TC will continue to contribute to the safe and smooth operation of ships through the manufacture and delivery of mobile MMBs.

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