APM Terminals Maasvlakte II places record order for 62 Gantry Cranes

APM Terminals Maasvlakte II has signed a contract for 62 Automated Rail Mounted Gantry Cranes (ARMGs) with Austrian crane builder Kuenz. The electric cranes will feature handling systems from Swiss technology company ABB. This APM Terminals' largest ever crane order in Europe.

The first ARMGs will be delivered as early as April 2025. The order was placed as part of the ‘phase 2’ expansion of APM Terminals Maasvlakte II facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands where, together with 1,000 metres of new quay, capacity is expected to nearly double by the end of 2027.

Doubling terminal capacity

"This is an important step in the expansion for APM Terminals Maasvlakte II,” commented Hans Jongejan, Project Director MVII-Expansion. “Kuenz and ABB once again proved to be the best solutions for the handling of our containers.” 

The collaboration between Kuenz and ABB has previously proven successful in large collaborative projects, such as the previous implementation of 54 ARMGs at APM Terminals at Maasvlakte II.

The Kuenz ARMG Concept 2.0, previously introduced at the terminal was characterised by innovative new features, especially in the hoist unit. This development not only increased the performance of the cranes, but also significantly reduced operating costs.

Efficient & sustainable

“The combination between the reliable automatic handling provided by Kuenz and ABB’s aerodynamic cranes makes this a sustainable choice,” says Jongejan. “This allows us to not only become the most modern gateway to Europe but also the most efficient and sustainable. We look forward to a successful cooperation.”

ABB will supply control and information systems, automation sensors and software, and remote-control capability to optimize the crane efficiency for remote crane management.

Low maintenance

“We have been able to deliver the highest level of automation resulting in a terminal with high productivity and low maintenance needs,” said Clara Holmgren, Business Line Manager Ports, ABB Marine & Ports. “We are excited to take this proven concept to the next level, delivering the efficiency gains that are only available to the leaders of terminal automation.”

APM Terminals Maasvlakte II is one of the world‘s most advanced, fully automated terminals, with fully fenced-off automated areas separating men and machines. Around 80% of crane movements are automated, with the remaining manual operations being performed remotely.