Maritime regulations are becoming increasingly stringent to mitigate any potential risk to cargo ships, freight and crew members - out at sea and in port. In line with new amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, the shipping and freight industries are now required to provide carriers with a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) for each loaded container before it can be placed onto any ship. 

Leading manufacturer and supplier of cranes and heavy lifting equipment, Konecranes, has launched its first digital Static Weighing System for use in South African ports. Supplied by EIE Group in South Africa, the system has proven to be effective in reducing weighing times and is currently being reviewed for accreditation by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).

The solution is said to offer reliability and increased productivity for port operations by allowing reach stackers to hydraulically measure the weight of lifted containers, with 1% full-scale accuracy achieved in less than five seconds.

In addition, the system is designed to be easy to operate, with the operator initiating the weighing process from a multi-touch control display inside the cabin once the container is lifted into its transport position. The VGM container data is then sent to the in-cab modem which shares the data specific to that container. This data is automatically transferred and stored in the yourKONECRANES.com cloud-based customer portal, allowing for seamless integration between the weighing systems and users’ Terminal Operating System, Transport Management System or Enterprise Resource Planning systems and a report is then created through the TRUCONNECT system.

The weighing system reports on detailed information such as gross container mass, exact container identity, time and date stamps on each container, operator details and lift truck data. The system also detects the location of the container, enabling easier container picking and loading.

The Konecranes Static Weighing System allows operators to connect and share reports at the touch of a button, without requiring physical meetings. 

“Importantly, utilising the system will allow customers to comply with SOLAS regulations, while also reaping the benefits of improved operational efficiency and productivity. As the industrial revolution impacts all sectors, the seamless and technologically advanced Konecranes Static Weighing System is just another way we see our industry solutions benefiting our customers’ operations, making their lives easier and their businesses more profitable,” concludes EIE Group’s Heavy Lift division key accounts sales manager, Lenny Naidoo.