Staying on top of Excessive Idling
Moving millions of containers through port terminals requires cargo handling equipment. Diesel powered equipment is widespread and used due to efficiency, performance, and reliability. Equipment typically includes ship-to-shore cranes, mobile cranes, rail-mounted gantry cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), reach stackers and straddle carriers. Consumption patterns for diesel differ across terminals and depend on terminal equipment configurations. Terminals typically mitigate cost components, improve asset and process efficiency through analytics. This means accurately monitoring, analysing, and managing fuel usage and consumption data.
Engine idling creates non-performance engine wear, particularly for mobile cranes, RTGs, reach stackers and straddle cranes. While idle running is unavoidable and sometimes essential, excess idle running is mostly dangerous for engines, counterproductive and adverse for the environment. Any idle running beyond 20% of total run hours or >5 minutes in a single stretch is considered excessive. The detrimental effects of high idling times for diesel engines include decreased fuel economy, incomplete fuel combustion, fuel dilution, lowered oil viscosity and increased oil consumption – all of which increase the risk of wear.
Automated fuel management provides real-time visibility of all fuel from storage to usage, including how it is used, of all vehicles and equipment. Fleet management provides real-time visibility of the usage and movement of all vehicles and equipment. When automated fuel management systems and fleet management platforms are combined, users get the best of both worlds.
To improve usage efficiency and prevent misuse, all fuel should be automatically constantly monitored. PetroMan’s fuel management system’s functionality includes stock control, bulk rates, decanting, storage, filtration, tank gauging, security, dispensing, reporting, transaction management, and maintenance scheduling. 75% of fleet managers rely on vehicle telematics to support their operations. PetroMan’s telematics solution includes vehicle tracking, driver monitoring, incident alerts, map search and route management. The modular system is suitable for all port vehicles.
Customers that utilize the PetroMan automated fuel management system and the fleet management platforms have complete visibility of excessive idling patterns. This increases vehicle usage optimisation and reduces running costs.
PetroMan SA has made it their purpose to develop world-class hydrocarbon management systems that are both cost-effective and user-friendly. As an OEM, PetroMan SA markets its unique fuel management solutions under the PetroMan® brand, providing meticulous, real-time, measuring, and reporting that allows clients to intricately control hydrocarbon quality and usage. PetroMan SA continually develops and implements robust and up-to-date hardware and software platforms and has supplied FMS solutions to the mining sector, across Africa, since the 1990s.
For world-class fuel management solutions in mining visit www.petroman.global
