Reliable 24/7 operation at the Port of Hamburg: EUROGATE relies on durable energy chain systems and intelligent sensor technology from igus for its rail-loading cranes
House-high cranes and huge cargo ships: Hamburg’s container port is one of the largest ports in Europe. Several million containers are handled here every year. Eurogate is one of the leading container terminal groups in Europe and operates 21 modern container gantry cranes and an additional seven loading bridges at the Port of Hamburg, which enable fast and smooth train handling at Germany’s largest railway station for combined freight transport, Eurokombi, which is located directly at the terminal. To ensure that the rail-loading cranes run fail-safe despite continuous operation, Eurogate relies on smart energy chain systems from the Cologne-based plastics specialist igus.
EUROGATE is Germany’s largest container handling group and operates twelve port terminals in Germany, Italy, Morocco and Cyprus. Container handling in the seaport, i.e. loading and unloading container ships for shipping companies, is EUROGATE’s core business. This also includes transshipment for combined transport (CT). At the Port of Hamburg, for example, seven rail-loading cranes handle trains on a total of eleven tracks at the combined transport station, which has been operated jointly by EUROGATE and KOMBIVERKEHR since 2002. Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg is characterised by its high dynamics. Ever longer distances, higher dynamics, extreme loads, zero breakdowns: the demands on the crane systems are high. The almost 30-metre high rail-loading cranes at the intermodal rail terminal move containers weighing up to 40 tonnes – around the clock. EUROGATE Technical Services GmbH is responsible for the constant and reliable availability of the entire harbour technology. “All equipment is procured, maintained, serviced and disposed of by us years later,” explains Torben Schröder, Project Planning Electrical Engineering, Hamburg Operation, EUROGATE Technical Services GmbH. “Our aim is to ensure that the terminals always have access to technically flawless equipment and that we increase their productivity.” High productivity rates require efficient work processes. After all, time is money. The crane systems must therefore be powerful and fail-safe. The same applies to the energy chains that guide the energy and data cables of the trolley on the crane bridges. For precisely this reason, EUROGATE relies on durable and robust energy chain systems made of high-performance plastics from igus.
Seven loading bridges from Eurogate at Hamburg’s container port ensure fast and reliable train handling at Germany’s largest CT station. (Source: igus GmbH)
Long service life and low maintenance thanks to igus e-chains
“In the past, two of our crane systems have experienced long downtimes. A few years ago, we therefore looked for a new way to achieve longer service lives and prevent unplanned downtimes due to wear on the energy chains,” continues Torben Schröder. “Because our aim is to change an energy chain only once in the life of the crane.” The chains not only have to withstand high loads on the travel of almost 70 metres, but also all weather conditions and UV rays, as they are located outside the crane. “In order to reduce maintenance costs and increase the productivity of the crane systems, we needed a reliable, low-maintenance and durable solution. This is why we have been using energy chains from igus for many years in the terminals that we look after.” The first energy chain was put into operation in 2002. Six of the rail-loading cranes are now equipped with energy chains from igus. Markus Böhm, technical sales consultant for e-chains at igus, emphasizes: “We have since tried out various products and assembly concepts. From conversion to conversion, we have developed a new, optimized solution.”
The evolution of the rollers e-chain
igus has developed the roller e-chain especially for heavy-duty applications with long travels such as crane applications. Wear is considerably less than with a version without rollers and the force required for movement is also lower. The special feature of igus e-chains: They are made of tribologically optimized high-performance plastics – i.e. optimized for friction and wear – and are therefore particularly durable. Thanks to incorporated solid lubricants, they also require no external lubrication, which further reduces maintenance costs. For over 20 years, igus has been working on the continuous improvement of the roller e-chain and has developed the product range accordingly. “In the case of our loading bridges, we started with the 4040RHD roller chain, which is still used in two cranes, as it would not pay off to convert an ‘old’ crane to a new system,” says Torben Schröder. Markus Böhm adds: “With the evolution of the roller e-chain, we have now switched to the P4.1 on the other four cranes. Our P4.1 is now also installed on the seventh crane. This means that all rail-loading cranes at the Port of Hamburg are supplied with our energy chains.”
The chains are resistant to seawater and UV radiation and can handle long travels of over 1,000 metres and speeds of more than 5m/s. The offset between the upper run and lower run allows the plastic rollers to move past each other, which enables exceptionally smooth operation and reduces the coefficient of friction and drive power. There is also a bearing point for a pivoting movement in each connection of the chain links. This is equipped with maintenance-free tribopolymer plain bearings, which significantly increases the service life even further. Like all igus products, the P4.1 proves its durability in numerous tests in the in-house test laboratory, which is the largest in the industry. “This is a development that we as a customer are naturally also pleased about,” says Torben Schröder. “Because we want to ensure that our crane systems are always state of the art and run reliably for as long as possible.”
Quick to deploy
Highly flexible cables from the chainflex range from igus, which are designed for continuous bending changes in the chain, complete the fail-safe solution for cranes. For this reason, e-chains and cables were usedas a pre-assembled readychain system for the latest conversions of EUROGATE loading bridges. The P4.1 makes installation particularly quick and easy. “The challenge with our crane systems is that the work has to be carried out during operation. Although the crane itself is not in use for this period, terminal operations continue nonetheless. It is important that everyone involved is in constant close contact and can react quickly,” emphasizes Schröder. “The projects were well prepared in advance and our igus contacts are always there to support us on site if required – that is very important to us.”
Smart monitoring system for more predictability and reliability
“To ensure the highest possible availability and reliability of the crane systems, we were also looking for a monitoring system that would give us early warning of malfunctions and allow us to better plan maintenance work,” reports Torben Schröder. With its smart plastics, igus also offered the right solution for this. This involves intelligent sensor technology that enables real-time condition monitoring (i.Sense) and predictive maintenance (i.Cee) of the energy chains. Various systems are used in the rail-loading cranes, which are connected directly to the system control. Manuel Moussa, technical sales consultant for smart plastics at igus, explains: “While i.Sense EC.P monitors the tensile/push forces, i.Sense EC.B identifies chain breakages at an early stage. Tensile forces on the cables are monitored by i.Sense CF.P. Two cranes are also already equipped with our i.Cee module.” Above a defined wear limit, a signal is sent to the module, which is used to plan roller chain maintenance in advance. The data is collected in a remote desktop, where an overview of all chains and monitoring systems in use is displayed. “Both we and the customer have access to this and can view all the information at any time – from the sensor data and alarm messages to the service life prediction and the recommendation for the next maintenance date.”
Everything from a single source
“Smart solutions are becoming increasingly important in our business in order to remain competitive in the future,” states Torben Schröder. “The smart energy chains from igus offer us greater safety and predictability to prevent total damage and high follow-up costs. As we have already had good experiences with the energy chains, we also opted for the igus sensor technology. This was also to avoid mixing too many technologies. In this way, we can be sure that the components are optimally coordinated with each other. The implementation of the monitoring systems in the crane control system was easy and could be implemented quickly. We also carry out a brief visual inspection every month during our standardized maintenance. Fortunately, I have yet to report any malfunctions. For the maintenance colleagues who are responsible for the inspection, igus has also provided special e-chains and smart plastics training. Both advice and service from igus are competent and targeted. Everyday concerns are dealt with quickly and unbureaucratically. At igus, we get customized solutions – turnkey and from a single source. From the various components to the packaging and assembly to the software.”
Robust, low-maintenance and durable: The P4.1 plastic roller chain from igus ensures a reliable power supply to the trolley. (Source: igus GmbH)
i.Sense sensors allow the status of the energy chains and cables to be monitored in real time. The i.Cee module installed in the control cabinet collects the sensor data and enables predictive maintenance. (Source: igus GmbH)
Second life for discarded energy chains
But what happens to energy chains once they reach the end of their service life? They typically end up as industrial waste due to a lack of sustainable reuse options—a linear economy that igus aims to disrupt. Since 2019, igus has been collecting discarded energy chains regardless of the manufacturer as part of its own “chainge” program, so they can be recycled and new products made from the recovered material. Since 2022, other components made from technical plastics can also be recycled via the “chainge” online platform. Torben Schröder: “We consider the approach of returning used energy chains to the manufacturer for raw material recovery to be very important. We have already had a chain recycled without any issues and are pleased to continue using this igus offering as a step towards greater sustainability.”
The right solution for every crane: “Both advice and service from igus are competent and targeted,” reports Torben Schröder on the cooperation with Markus Böhm and Manuel Moussa (image 4a: from left to right; image 4b: from right to left). (Source: igus GmbH)
