GJAER

Volume 1 Number 1 January-June 2012 Academic Research Journals (India), pp. 39-44

Management Activities of Exploitation of Port Equipment in Port of Constanta

Paul Bocanete
Cristina Dragomir, As. univ. drd., Constanta Maritime University, Oana Ion Bocanete, As. univ. drd., Tomis University, Constanta, (E-mail: fundatia_gaudeamus@yahoo.com)

ABSTRACT: Operators in Constanta port use almost all type of port equipments, from a range of heavy equipment to light machines. This paper focuses on factors that influence management activities of port equipment exploitation in port of Constanta. Increased mounting work volume requirements reflect the number and structure of port lifting machines and equipments. A better exploitation management of expliotation can be achieved by implementing a proper port equipment management system. Keywords: Management, exploitation of port equipments, cranes, management system.

INTRODUCTION In Port of Constanta, economic efficiency of port activities is achieved by reducing the maximum parking time of the ship in ports for loading and unloading. Obviously, this objective can not be achieved without necessary equipment for handling cargo, equipment with multiple shapes, sizes and uses. There are almost no ports today without being equipped with necessary installations for handling cargo from ship to shore and from warehouses to ship. Productivity maximization of expensive resources, as rail-mounted berth cranes, should be matched with the vessel requirement of minimizing waiting times with an adequate rate of service completion The whole set of port facilities for loading and unloading vessels with specific tools and machinery represents the mechanization of port operations. Highly mechanized ports manage in short time loading and unloading ship operations, and therefore increases ship profitability, raise labor productivity, reduce the cost of loading and unloading operations and improve working conditions. TYPES OF PORT EQUIPMENT USED IN PORT OF CONSTANTA Operators in Constanta port use almost all type of port equipments, starting with heavy equipment and ending with light machines. Heavy equipment consist of: quay cranes, portal and semi portal cranes, transshipment bridges, floating crane, lift wharf,

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silos for grain, seeds, minerals, etc. or facilities for petroleum products. Medium heavy equipment serves for fast loading and stowage of cargo in ships holds and operating cargo in berths and storage spaces: automatic cranes, electric cranes, auto lifts and electro lifts, tractors with trailers, electro cars, funicular cranes, trucks. Group of light machines represent easy equipment used by a team of workers as hand tools: conveyors, shovels, trolleys, electric winches, capstans, slides, rank, hooks, different types of nets. The diversification of tools and port equipment used in Port of Constanta shows the importance and necessity of maintaining a high degree of mechanization of port equipment to meet the dynamic rhythm of modern maritime shipment of cargo. Management activities of port equipment exploitation take into consideration the following factors: the nature of cargo operated and the type of port equipment appropriate to operate it; open storage and warehouse organization by types of merchandise, and their location; organization of front loading and unloading; specialized berths; technologic process of loading and unloading operations.

MANAGEMENT EXPLOITATION ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PORT EQUIPMENT Cranes are among the best friends we have in the port industry. As long as we care for them properly, verify if they are set up properly and that they are used within the manufacturers specifications, problems are few and benefits are many. Unfortunately we often find employees, craft and supervisory, forgetting about the maintenance, neglecting the set-up, or expecting the crane to do more than it was designed to. Disaster is an impatient spectre lurking over these operations, waiting for the right circumstance to strike. Cranes are used in very different conditions of exploitation which leads to a big variation of the effective duration of functioning and of the state of loading the mechanisms or of the metallic construction. The choosing of the cranes for montage works are made starting from the comparison of the technical , functional parameters to the montage characteristics of the prefabricated elements for which many options may result (depending on the number of the analysed cranes). Some choose to establish who is responsible for crane operations. Is it the safety person, the supervisor, the foreman or the port workers associated with the crane operation? In fact, it is all these and more. Management of risk in crane operations is spread across several facets of port operations. Fostering a culture where roles in crane

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operations are clearly defined and consistently completed is a key to accident free crane operations [2]. Cranes are utilized as port equipments for cargo handling packages and bulk cargo. Cranes exploitation is subordinated to the specific conditions of service arising from the process of loading and unloading ships. Cranes should ensure maximum handling ability in tight spaces, should have arms long enough for loading and unloading the widest vessels, but at the same time should be well consolidated by pulsed consoles. Often, cranes have to work one near the other, at the distance of 12 to 15 meters. Lifting force varies depending on how cargo is handled from 0.5 to 5 tons, 20 to 30 tons and even 80 tons for the PERRICK crane. Vertical and horizontal transportation of hooked weights, movements of the crane and operated weight (when technical specifications allow that), hooked operated weight using an elastic element (cable and hook device), higher weight centre compared to other vehicles (instability situations) are the most important particularities of lifting machines used in ports. Floating cranes have a large employment in ports. They are mounted on pontoons which can be propelled. Pontoons must not have an inclination angle of more than 5-6 degrees, as a greater inclination degree can affect the crane exploitation. To increase the stability of mobile pontoon, counterweight is arranged into four movable pontoons opposite inclination. Bridges traverses consist of a belt beam (pole) on the high seats that move the truck load, crane lifting belt or other devices. One of the supports is rigid and the other swinging. The bridge can be fitted with one or two brackets, one mounted above the water for the ship and cargo service is mobile. Traverses bridge load trolleys usually lift cargo of 5-15 tons. This port equipment can handle about 500-1000 tons per hour. Management exploitation leads to a better productivity considering mounting rhythm, technological mounting processes and balanced quality and quantity factors [1]. ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT ACTIVITIES USED FOR EXPLOITATION MANAGEMENT

Management of exploitation should reach a high level of technicality required by the speed with which port equipment must execute loading and unloading operations. Also, an efficient management should take into consideration the objective of minimizing the physical effort of port workers. The most common machines in this category can be grouped as follows: tracked cranes and vehicle cranes. They can be made for loading and unloading operations of vessels at any berth where there are no shore cranes. Crawler cranes have a lifting power up to 25 tons, cranes and cars, between 6-8 tons.

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Fork-lift trucks are most widespread in all ports in the world and they are considered essential equipment for the operation of ships. Power lifting is from 0.5 to 5 tons. Due to their high mobility, they have expanded their reach. Hand tools have the advantage of being easily transported in any part of the port, as well as being handled easily. Light equipment operations are used for the full range of cargo handling and stowage. It should be noted that in the process of modernization and mechanization of port operations, at short intervals there occurs new types of equipment of high efficiency, in order to decrease time spent during the operation of vessels and for reducing the physical effort of workers in ports. Factors Influencing Management of Port Equipments Exploitation The main factors that influence management of port equipments exploitation are: (a) Time calendar - represents the total number of days in a year when port equipments are exploited with efficiency, from a total of 365 days per year. (b) The coefficient of calendar time - is the maximum use of a port machine for a year. This is the main element that sets the value of productivity of port equipments. In general the value of this coefficient for port equipment used in Constanta Port is about 0.57 resulting from calculations, based on the following elements: time not used for exploitation during the repair planned time not used for exploitation during the repair of accidental time not used for exploitation, due to working port conditions. The main factors influencing the work duration of port equipments are the following: Bad weather - the leading cause of time spend while not operating port equipments - due to weather factors that directly influence the functioning of the equipment. Wind pressure limits the equipment exploitation over a certain value. Ports are located in open areas exposed to wind, that influence operation of machinery with a special weight; Frost ports etc. The statistical analysis showed that the duration of restraint in our country, due to unfavourable time is about 10% of calendar time; Ship manoeuvres wagon fronts (berths) operative also leads to the stationing of port equipment; Other reasons that influence these machines exploitation are power interruptions, changing shifts, changing from one barn to another of the machines working in ships etc.

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(c) The coefficient of lift capacity - represents the degree of load-lifting capacity to operate both general goods and bulk cargo. (d) The operation rate of bulk goods and the degree of filling for clamshells decreases as they reach the bottom of the download store. (e) Working cycle of the equipment - is also one of the main elements that characterize the exploitation of a port machine. The port equipment cycle is made of full working operations and is expressed in minutes and seconds. In order to establish practical operating life cycle is essential to assess each stage of the machines working operations. In particular the work cycle of bridges wharf traverses is constantly reviewed and monitored by equipment manufacturers and those who operate them. For this reason the work cycles of different port equipments are observed by analyzing a form chart. By analyzing a working cycle diagram can be observed the overlapping stages of work in order to reduce the duration of operation. MANAGEMENT OF PORT EQUIPMENTS EXPLOITATION THROUGH CRANE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM An efficient solution for improving management of port equipments exploitation is by designing and implementing a management system suitable for the technical charactheristics of the port equipment. For example, in the case of the modern port cranes, each crane is equipped by the company that produces the crane with a crane management system. This system offers online support for the crane driver and maintenance staff, and additional practical assistance for preventive maintenance, thus guaranteeing a smooth operation. A crane management system consists of the following modules: for diagnosis - settings (adjustments, pre-set modes), alert indicators and alert management containing links to the instruction manual and component specifications with user editable text; for data logger and statistics - service intervals, operating hour counter, handling and energy measurements, average travel range; a black box for recording operating history; maintenance schedule and log book and maintenance and operating instructions (help function).[3] CONCLUSIONS The diversification of tools and port equipment used in Port of Constanta shows the importance and necessity of maintaining a high degree of mechanization of port equipment to meet the dynamic rhythm of modern maritime shipment of cargo. Management of exploitation should reach a high level of technicality required by the speed with which port equipment must execute loading and unloading operations. In the process of modernization and mechanization of port operations, at short intervals occur new types of equipment of high efficiency, in order to decrease time spent during the operation of vessels and for reducing the physical effort of workers in ports.

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An efficient solution for improving management of port equipments exploitation is by designing and implementing a management system suitable for the technical charactheristics of the port equipment. References
Anghelache, D. (2005), Lifting Machine Performance Criteria Due To Dynamic Effects , The Annals Of Dunarea De Jos University of Galati, Fascicle XIV Mechanical Engineering, Dunarea De Jos University of Galati, ISSN 1224-5615, 2005. Canonaco, P., Legato, P., Mazza, R., Musmanno, R. (2008), A Queuing Network Model for the Management of Berth Crane Operations, Computers and Operations Research Journal, Volume 35 Issue 8, August, 2008. ,Container Cranes for the Port of Duisburg, Hans Knz GmbH, http://www. kuenzamerica.com/fileadmin/template/pdf/E_Duisburg_Internet.pdf.