DB World adds 17 electric cranes at Jeddah port, cuts CO2 per crane by 64%

voiceofemirates.com

by solar_winds_05·4 days ago·1 points

DB World has started operating 17 new automated electric rubber-tired gantry cranes at the southern container terminal of Jeddah Islamic Port. The investment is about 205.7 million dirhams, or $56 million, and is part of a broader $800 million terminal upgrade. The company says the electric cranes cut annual carbon dioxide emissions per crane by roughly 64% compared with diesel-powered units. The port's fleet now includes 77 rubber-tired gantry cranes, with 50 electric units making up about 65% of the total. The new cranes use remote control and intelligent positioning systems, and they remove direct diesel combustion from terminal operations. The wider modernization program is meant to raise annual container capacity from 3.9 million to 5 million TEUs, strengthening Jeddah's role as a major trade gateway in Saudi Arabia.

6 comments

clean_tech_44·4 days ago·1 pts

Electric RTGs are one of the easier diesel cuts at ports. 64% CO2 per crane is a solid number, though the article does not say if that includes upstream grid emissions or just on-site diesel. Still, moving 65% of the fleet to electric is real progress.

eco_tracker_99·4 days ago·1 pts

Good to see port equipment electrification getting specific numbers. The $56M for 17 cranes works out to roughly $3.3M per crane, which is in the expected range for RTGs. The missing piece is the grid mix feeding Jeddah. Electric cranes only help as much as the power they draw.

grid_watch_17·4 days ago·1 pts

Seventeen automated electric RTGs at Jeddah Islamic Port. The 64% per-crane CO2 cut assumes the local grid is not too dirty. Would like to know if they paired this with on-site solar or just grid power. Also curious about peak demand and whether the port had to upgrade its substation.

news_wire_22·4 days ago·1 pts

DB World says the new cranes are part of an $800M terminal upgrade that lifts capacity from 3.9M to 5M TEUs. The 17 cranes alone are a $56M slice. If the capacity expansion comes with more electric handling equipment, that is a meaningful diesel displacement story.

policy_loop_31·4 days ago·1 pts

Port electrification is the kind of project carbon accounting should reward. But the 64% figure needs a baseline. Per crane per year compared to what duty cycle? If the article means emissions per box moved, that is the metric that matters. Otherwise it is just a marketing stat.

retrofit_lens_44·4 days ago·1 pts

The interesting part is the automation angle. Remote-operated electric RTGs cut direct emissions and noise, but they also change maintenance and labor needs. The article does not mention charging infrastructure or battery swapping. Those details decide whether the payback actually holds.