Kalmar and Port Release Fuel Info on Hybrid Shuttle Carriers

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, and The Port of Virginia have released actual fuel efficiency information on the Kalmar hybrid shuttle carriers in operation at Virginia International Gateway (VIG), one of the port’s two primary container terminals.

According to the machine monitoring data, the average fuel consumption in operation has been as much as 40% less than a typical fuel consumption level of a traditional diesel driveline shuttle carrier.

“Based on the machine data, the average fuel consumption in operation has been ca.10 litres per operating hour, as the diesel engine only runs about two thirds of the time. In average the machines achieved productivity of 10,5 moves per operating hour,” said Joe Harris, port spokesman.

“We are extremely satisfied with the results. Thanks to high fuel efficiency, operating costs are on a lower level. We also estimate that one machine produces about 50 tons less carbon dioxide emissions in a year compared to a traditional machine. In the long run, this means significant cost savings and reduced emission levels for our terminal without compromising productivity,” he added.

“The three hybrid shuttle carriers in VIG have been fully operational since October 2015 and we have been collecting and analysing operational data since then,” said Dr. Tero Kokko, vice president, horizontal transportation at Kalmar.

He continued: “The data from VIG demonstrates that the hybrid shuttle carriers are delivering on the promise and outperforming any competition. They are the first real hybrid shuttle carriers deployed in the USA. We are very proud to be able to help our customer to reach their targets.”

Virginia International Gateway is a privately-owned marine container terminal located along the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, Virginia. The terminal is under lease to the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) and is operated by Virginia International Terminals LLC, the VPA’s privately-held terminal operating company.