Port of Hamburg commissions remote-controlled rail gantry cranes

The Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) at the Port of Hamburg has successfully commissioned its first remote-controlled rail gantry cranes. This development is intended to increase efficiency and productivity in rail processing at Europe’s largest rail port.

The upgrade includes a new crane manufactured by Künz, designed specifically for remote operation, and the retrofitting of an existing crane to allow for both manual cabin operation and remote control. Operators will now manage the equipment from ergonomic office workstations within the terminal building, a shift that evolves traditional job profiles in the port.

The new crane features a track width exceeding 41 metres, spanning nine railway tracks, with a total working width of approximately 90 metres to reach land and water-side queuing areas. Approximately half of all hinterland containers at the Port of Hamburg are transported via rail.