Demag Cranes subsidiary receives award for innovative technology

Gottwald Port Technology GmbH, a subsidiary of Demag Cranes AG, won an IBJ Award 2010 in the Innovative Technology (Cargo Handling) category for its new hybrid drive that can be fitted to mobile harbour cranes.

"This award underlines once again the fact that, through its Gottwald brand name, Demag Cranes is maintaining its technological and innovation leadership status in port technology. This new hybrid drive is in response not only to economical needs but also to our customers' wishes to incorporate sustainability in their working methods," emphasised Thomas H. Hagen, member of the Management Board of Demag Cranes AG and chief operating officer (COO).

The award is for the new hybrid drive for Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes which was launched in March 2010. This drive improves energy efficiency and, as a result, makes it easier to operate mobile harbour cranes in an environmentally compatible manner. By combining state-of-the-art diesel generators with electrostatic short-term energy storage modules (ultracaps), fuel savings in the two-digit percentage range can be achieved. The new hybrid drive has been trialled under real terminal conditions as part of the pilot project using a converted diesel-electric crane. This new drive technology is of particular interest to operators in the field of professional bulk handling, where more focus is being brought to bear on reducing emissions. The technology enables terminal operators to reduce not only fuel consumption and overheads but also exhaust gas emissions sustainably. Existing cranes can be retrofitted with the technology if customers so wish. The cranes that are being included in the product range for the first time, such as the new Model 3, are already designed for quick and easy adaptation to the new hybrid drives.