Performance
CURRENT
Currently as of July 30, 2019, our performance as a company and the cranes continues to exceed expectations. Our crane safety, operations, projects and effeicient maintenace are the cornerstone of our company culture. The professional staff starts early at 0530 to insure the days start right. The cranes are also greatly performing with an operational downtime well within the industry’s goal at 0.55%. The crane rental hours and thruput moves continue to increase to which we and our operators are adapting to the operational needs and staffing.
Additionally, the new Panama Canal locks has facilitated vessel transits of larger the PPX (Post-Panamax) ships (NEO-PPX) and a such, we frequently find ourselves with three (3) of these 19 wide ships, 1,000 feet long and carrying over 10,000 TEUs. The answer to their needs are several projects which procurement by the County of three (3) new Super Post-Panamax STS Gantry Cranes is the cornerstone of the initiative to address the needs of PortMiami customers.
HISTORICAL
Upon taking on the responsibilities in 2002, we increased our professional staff and commenced with establishing companywide policies and procedures. Simultaneously, we found ourselves repairing the dilapidated gantry cranes and spreaders to restore them to operational status. The restoration of the cranes continued for numerous years during which time a Preventive Maintenance Program (PMP) was stablished and implemented. The program went thru numerous enhancements to include converting to an electronic operation by adapting the use of Mainsaver CMS.
Crane Management’s primary mission is to provide the PortMiami maritime community with the required services which has resulted in greatly improving crane reliability, throughput efficiency, capacity and expert assistance to include project management of gantry cranes’ and cargo handling related work; and in 2019 PortMiami requested assistance with the PBBs (Passenegr Boarding Bridges), RTGs and related construction to the operation.
Our success was clearly realized by the reduction of overall crane downtime which commenced in 2007 with a year end (FY2006-2007) average downtime of 1.08% and with our efforts resulted in an all-time low in 2010 of 0.46%. With emphasis on proactive planning, predictive maintenance scheduling, effective maintenance and implementation of refurbishment programs, crane downtime continues to be at 0.55% YTD July 30, 2019. In 2013 and 2014 as we received and commissioned the four (4) new Super Post-panama cranes, we continue to maintain the same downtime levels. However, with acquisition of new state of the art cranes, our primary initiative is for greater emphasis and improvements to the PMP (Prevetive Maintenance Program) which is at the forefront of our goals along with automation.
Unlike August 2004 and October 2004 which were the busiest crane usage months on record at the PortMiami, fiscal years 2007-08 and 2008-09 experienced the lowest usage recorded since the late 1990’s. As the downward trend in overall crane usage reached its lowest levels in 2008-09, an upturn was realized by the end of fiscal year 2009-2010 end when crane usage commenced a steady climb which was more pronounced in 2011. In 2012 we started and continue to have lower hours than 2011 but yet higher than 2008, 2009 and 2010. The beginning of 2013 showed a bit higher crane usage with very low downtime as compared to previous year. However, upon commencement of 2013 second quarter in May, a new service started which vessels are the largest to call on Port Miami, stacking 17 containers wide and as many as 7 containers high on deck. This was possible at PortMiami as it was prepared for the larger Super Post-panama vessels with cranes 11 and 12, and in 2013 with augmentation of the New Gantry Cranes 13-16 which also increased crane availability and efficient operations of any size container ship to call on PortMiami.
More to be added of 2014 thru 2019.