Improved Snagload Protection system for STS container cranes

Abstract

This graduation and report focusses on an extreme load scenario of ship to shore container cranes. Containers are standardized steel boxes used for multi-modal transport of material all over the world. To (un)load big container ships, ship to shore container cranes are being used. In the ships the containers are stacked in cellguides. During hoisting of the load inside the ship, for some reason, the load gets stuck. This sudden stopping is called snag, and this causes huge loads on the crane: snagload. There are several systems available on the market which claim to reduce this snagload and protect the crane, these systems however have an often non-proven working principle and are expensive, heavy and complex. Kalmar, a producer of container handling equipment, is concerned about this snagload and searches for a better way to protect their cranes and therefore initiated this graduation...