The RTGs are scheduled for delivery in late autumn 2006.

P&O Ports handles approximately half of all containers loaded and discharged in Australia, and provides stevedoring and related materials handling services at more than 30 ports around the country.

To handle these volumes, the company relies heavily on a large fleet of RTGs, 20 of which are in service at the Port Botany Container Terminal in Sydney and nine of which are at the Fremantle Container and RoRo Terminal. The E-One order was placed as part of P&O Ports’ replacement programme for its RTG fleet.

Since its launch at the beginning of 2005, the E-One has won more than 100 orders from terminal operators around the globe, including Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaiso in Chile, Terminal Container Athus in Belgium, Gateway Terminals in India, The Port of New York and New Jersey’s Global Terminal & Container Services, Mardas Port in Istanbul, Muuga Container Terminal in Estonia, Portuaria Regional de Cartagena in Colombia and Buenos Aires Container Terminal Services in Argentina.

The world’s first all-electric RTG, the E-One features a low-emission diesel engine and – thanks to the elimination of most hydraulics and the precision of all-electric movements – significant fuel savings. Moreover, because the E-One contains fewer critical mechanical components, there is less opportunity for mechanical failure – a significant boost to operational productivity.

E-One is without the need for hydraulics and is suited to any operation around the world. Key features include an all-electric wheel turning and gantry drive, an all-electric trolley, Full Control antisway and stabiliser, a PLC-controlled sway prevention system and all-electric and maintenance-free spreader and micro-movements.