Mitsui E&S and its subsidiary company in the United States, PACECO Corp., have announced the commencement of commercial operations of the world's first hydrogen fuel cell powered rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) crane at the Port of Los Angeles.
Mitsui E&S says the H2-ZE Transtainer crane has been verified to have the same operational performance as conventional diesel-powered Transtainer cranes.
The newly built H2-ZE Transtainer was delivered to Yusen Terminals Inc. as part of an overall project to demonstrate the hydrogen supply chain from local production of clean hydrogen to the consumption point by port container handling equipment which is partially subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have a particularly aggressive goal in their Clean Air Action Plan of eliminating emissions of all cargo handling equipment by 2030. Diesel powered RTGs, a workhorse yard crane common in terminals, are a significant producer of emissions. Use of hydrogen allows the H2-ZE Transtainer cranes to produce zero emissions without connecting to the electric grid, enabling terminal operators to save on civil work investment and not impact current operating procedures. Modification of diesel powered RTGs at the port is also possible, says Mitsui E&S.