MacGregor’s electric solutions improve sustainability and profitability

MacGregor’s vision is to be the leader in maritime cargo and load handling by supporting customers through a comprehensive and environmentally sustainable portfolio of products, services and solutions. 

Sustainability related work is focused in three primary areas:

• Customer emissions reduction achieved through improved asset utilisation and operational efficiencies
• Energy efficiency improvements in equipment during the use phase
• Sourcing and manufacturing emissions reduction  

The company is committed to the provision of solutions that are increasingly environmentally sustainable through the electrification of our portfolio, responsive global services and the development of innovative digital services that support our customers’ business activities and growth objectives.

Benefits of electrically-driven cranes

MacGregor has delivered more than 500 electric cranes since 2007, with electric motor and drive system technology evolving significantly during this time. These developments have enabled the winch design, motor efficiency and cooling system to be further improved. As a result, the next generation electric crane is 15% more efficient than the first generation and up to 50% more efficient compared to the traditional closed-loop hydraulic design.

Variable Frequency Drive benefits for shipbuilders, owners and operators remain the same:

• Potential savings in capital expenditure through reduced generator size, smaller electric cables and no oil filling
• Superior cargo handling efficiency due to higher speeds and precision control, reducing time in port
• Increased operator & crew comfort though significantly reduced noise levels
• Lower maintenance costs without the need to change oil, oil filters, and hoses 
• A sustainable choice that removes the risk of oil leakage

Electric drives are available for all merchant cranes in the MacGregor portfolio, including port, bulker, container, multi-purpose, and heavy lift cranes. 

In addition, all-electric cranes can be connected to the MacGregor OnWatch Scout condition-based monitoring and predictive maintenance service.

Comprehensive global support

OnWatch Scout is a MacGregor service which connects installed equipment to advanced monitoring systems that continuously analyse component condition and predict maintenance needs. The system detects patterns in equipment behaviour which, through a combination of extensive experience, technical expertise and the application of artificial intelligence, can identify changes that indicate risk of failure. 

The service is one component of the comprehensive global support that MacGregor provides through more than 800 specialists based in 60 service centres throughout 31 countries. Locally-based support is integrated with remote technical advice and condition-based monitoring to maximise equipment availability and minimise unplanned downtime. 

“The core of our business is to develop, deliver and support innovative solutions such as the next generation range of fully electric cranes and OnWatch Scout. These contribute to the efficiency and profitability of our customers' business and enable progress to be made towards reaching the common industry goal for more sustainable shipping,” says Magnus Sjöberg, Senior Vice President of the Merchant Solutions Division in MacGregor.