A 113-tonne reach stacker engineered to handle waste containers across the River Thames’ substantial tidal range has been commissioned at a recycling operation in Barking, London.
The Konecranes SMV 4646 TCX4 reach stacker will transfer waste containers transported by barge to the recycling facility, working alongside an existing ship-to-shore crane to support the site’s container handling operations.
Supplied by Aprolis Equipment Distribution, part of Aprolis UK, the machine has been specially configured for the challenges presented by handling containers from barges on the Thames.
It combines a 10-metre outreach with the ability to reach as much as four metres below quay level, while handling containers weighing up to 37 tonnes. The below-quay, or “negative lift”, capability allows the machine to continue accessing barges as river levels change with the tide.
Water levels on the Thames can fluctuate by as much as seven metres within six hours in some locations, requiring Konecranes to design the reach stacker to maintain safe and precise handling across a wide range of operating heights.
Working with the tide
The machine’s size and weight presented an additional engineering challenge. At 113 tonnes, its operating position had to be carefully considered in relation to the concrete piling supporting the wharf.
Engineers assessed the structure to ensure that the reach stacker could remain on reinforced sections of the quay while retaining sufficient outreach to access containers on the barges throughout the tidal range.
The machine is intended to provide additional resilience to the waste handling operation, working alongside the site’s existing ship-to-shore crane and providing around-the-clock operational support.
Aprolis described the reach stacker as one of the largest and most specialised machines of its type supplied in the UK.
Heavy duty
The scale of the equipment also complicated its journey to the site. After assembly and testing in Markaryd, Sweden, the reach stacker was dismantled into five sections and transported to Gothenburg before being shipped to Immingham.
Its onward journey to London required route planning to ensure roads could accommodate the oversized loads.
Once at Barking, seven specialists from several organisations reconstructed the machine over two days. The operation involved a 100-tonne crane, specialist lifting equipment and a 16-tonne forklift.
Following assembly, the reach stacker underwent inspections, commissioning, operator familiarisation and live testing over the water before being handed over for operation.
Andy Armitage, Sales Manager – Heavy Equipment at Aprolis Equipment Distribution, said: “The final result is a highly specialised piece of equipment that has been engineered specifically for the unique operating environment on the Thames.”
He said the machine would play a key role in transferring waste containers from river barges to their recycling facility.