Photo: ISO.
Mt Maunganui-headquartered port logistics company ISO Limited is announcing the arrival of two world-leading mobile harbour cranes for safer and more efficient handling of cargo at its operation at Eastland Port in Te Tairāwhiti Gisborne.
The world-leading technology continues ISO’s significant investment in innovation to transform its port logistics supply chain nationwide.
ISO CEO Paul Cameron says the new mobile harbour cranes will help transform our operation at Eastland Port in Te Tairāwhiti.
“The new technology will remove our people from high-risk areas on the wharf and enable cargo to flow more efficiently through the increasingly pressured supply chain. With the implementation of the cranes we are upskilling and training staff we move out of high-risk areas into other machinery-based roles within the business.”
ISO commissioned the German-manufactured Liebherr mobile harbour cranes to suit its operating environment, with advanced technology and safety specifications designed by its technology team.
The cranes arrived at Te Tairāwhiti Harbour on Monday, after departing Rostock, Germany, on September 24.
Eastland Port will be the second port to benefit from introducing ISO’s mobile harbour cranes, following the introduction of four cranes in Mt Maunganui in August 2020.
ISO COO Andrew Davies says they’ve seen significant improvements in safety and productivity in Mt Maunganui with the introduction of mobile harbour cranes, including a 75 per cent reduction in incidents.
“The cranes provide a safer, more efficient and reliable method of loading logs directly from trailers into the vessel’s hold with mobile cranes instead of ships’ cranes.
“We expect to see similar results in Te Tairāwhiti. The mobile cranes allow us to handle all types of cargo for a wider range of vessels, which increases handling cycles, lift capacity and vessel turnarounds – which means a better result for our customers, our business, and the port.”
Eastland Port infrastructure manager Marty Bayley says they have the largest infrastructure developments in a century happening at Eastland Port over the next few years — including stage one of the Twin Berth project beginning in a few months.
“ISO is the sole stevedore operator at the port, and their new mobile cranes will help keep exports moving as volumes grow in Te Tairāwhiti.
“It’s fantastic to see ISO’s commitment to investing in world-leading technology to help improve safety and cargo flow throughout the entire forestry supply chain, providing an improved service for our customers.”
Three mobile harbour cranes will be in operation at Eastland Port by the end of the month; ISO will ship one of its Mt Maunganui-based mobile cranes to Te Tairāwhiti, so three cranes are available at each port. A world-first in terms of size and capacity, the fully mobile crane weighs 465 tonnes, has a 51-metre maximum lifting height, a 54-metre maximum outreach, and can lift a maximum load of 124 tonnes.
ISO, which handles more than half of New Zealand’s log exports, is applying robotics, automation and IT across its operations nationwide to minimise exposure to hazards and move its people into more skilled roles.
Over the past three years, 13 Robotic Scaling Machines for scaling logs have been installed across ISO’s North and South Island operations to automate the accurate volumetric measurement (scaling) of export logs on trucks and trailers.
The world-first robotic technology was developed by Tauranga-based Robotics Plus in collaboration with ISO.
Earlier this year, ISO started the rollout of its Automatic Tally Stations, developed by its technology team, to replace manual scanning of tickets on packets of logs at the wharf following scaling through the RSM offsite.
When the truck drives through the new stations, tickets attached to the logs are scanned automatically while drivers safely stay in the truck.
In addition, mobile Harbour Cranes allow logs to be loaded directly from trucks onto vessels.
“Safety is our number one priority, and these innovations contribute significantly to the safety of our people,” says Cameron.
“We will continue to invest in new technology to enhance safety, improve efficiency and productivity, and radically improve the supply chain for our customers.
“We want to thank our customers, staff and the port companies we work with, who have supported us in making industry-leading improvements at our operations nationwide.”
ISO has grown to be one of New Zealand’s largest nationwide waterfront cargo logistics companies, operating out of Marsden Point, Tauranga, Kaingaroa, Murupara, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Picton, Timaru, Dunedin, Bluff and Invercargill. ISO also provides innovative warehousing, IT and total supply chain solutions to port industries across New Zealand.