Efficient container loading in the port environment

Customer: Euroports Finland, Port of Rauma
Country: Finland, Europe

Euroports is an international, full-service ports operator offering maritime supply chain solutions through their own terminals. They provide freight forwarding and value-added services, including their own in-house logistics company, Manuport Logistics (MPL). Approximately 46 million tons of goods are transported annually across a network of 25 port terminals in Europe and Asia. Most of the goods are single pieces and bulk goods. Established in 2006, Euroports employs 2,550 people.

Rauma is a town on the west coast of Finland where Euroports runs the largest multipurpose terminal in the region. The Port of Rauma is particularly important for the Finnish forest industry, transporting locally-made products such as paper and wood.

Container loading process with LoadPlate® takes only

15

minutes.

Business challenge: Easier, cleaner and faster loading of wood into containers

In Rauma, Euroports Finland had been loading lumber into containers with two heavy-duty forklifts. Even when the loading was done carefully, it was easy to damage the containers, the protective wrapping on the loads or the loads themselves. People were needed on the ground to help the forklift drivers align the loads with the container. It could sometimes be difficult to open or close the container doors, depending on where the container was located, since containers could be anywhere in the yard area. Forklift tyres tracked dirt into the containers, which then had to be cleaned. It easily took 30 minutes to fill one container.

Euroports was sure that container loading could be easier and faster. They wanted a new solution that would lower the risk of damage, improve safety and make their container loading operations more space and time efficient. Whatever they decided on, it had to be ideal for lumber in containers in a port environment.

Solution: LoadPlate streamlines wood loading operations  

We brought our innovative container loading equipment LoadPlate® to Euroports Finland at the Port of Rauma in two stages.

In the first stage, only one forklift was needed to deliver lumber products to a LoadPlate equipped with a scale to measure the full weight of the load before filling containers up to 45 feet. Some technical adjustments, such as the distance between the lift truck forks and the positioning of the guide rollers on the LoadPlate were needed to suit the specific situation. This is quite normal. It was a standard loading application in a port environment.

However, in the second stage, a single LoadPlate was serving multiple container stands. We at Actiw also helped to plan the layout of a new warehouse, giving feedback on construction and how the product could flow to maximize the benefit of the LoadPlate.

Outcome: Faster loading, better safety and cleaner containers

Ports are typically a challenging environment in which to introduce new processes and equipment as they run on tight schedules, and it can take a little time to adapt at first. However, now that the new warehouse has been built and LoadPlate has proved its worth, a new level of efficiency defines Euroports Finland’s lumber loading operations.

Depending on initial load forming, the container loading process using one forklift and LoadPlate now takes only 10-15 minutes. Weighing prevents overloaded containers, and more efficient loading has minimized the risk of damage, proven by the fact that customers no longer report it. Because people are not needed on the ground to guide the loading process, the level of safety has greatly increased. Containers are always loaded in the same areas, so space is better allocated, and there are no obstructions to opening or closing the container doors, keeping up a smooth process flow.

The containers always pass floor quality inspection because the forklift trucks no longer enter them. Finally, LoadPlate requires only a small amount of maintenance and used less energy than the second forklift, reducing both fuel expenses and environmental impact.

Euroports Finland have been very happy with Actiw’s understanding of maritime logistics, the technical expertise, and the high quality of the LoadPlate equipment. As a result, Euroports is considering Actiw LoadPlate for some of their other facilities in the future.