In Hamburg, the Burchardkai transshipment point, operated by port and facility logistics company HHLA, is undergoing a complete modernization. The project is modeled after the terminal in Altenwerder, which is already equipped with Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). This is a job for terminal developer Oliver Boldt.
Oliver Boldt is thus part of one of the largest brownfield projects in the terminal industry worldwide. He is ensuring that container transport at Hamburg's Burchardkai terminal runs as smoothly in the future as it already does at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder. "Only if everyone involved pulls together," he says, "can we achieve success within the given timeframe.".
The automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that have been operating at the CTA in Altenwerder for decades will be deployed at the Burchardkai Container Terminal (CTB). HHLA has significantly advanced this technology. The CTA was originally built as a new facility on a greenfield site, which simplified many aspects of the project. Now, the technology and hardware are being transferred to the Burchardkai terminal.
During the complete renovation of the existing facility at Burchardkai, Oliver Boldt has to juggle an incredible number of things. "Unfortunately, I don't have time for meditation," says Oliver with a hidden smile. "I have to concentrate on mediation!" Indeed, mediating and communicating between internal and external team members is one of his main tasks. When he's monitoring schedules and allocating resources, he sometimes has to balance the differing interests of the various sub-projects.
O. Boldt. Photos: HHLA
Bringing together all the necessary expertise is essential for such a mammoth project. What comes from the manufacturers and suppliers, and what is the HHLA team responsible for? Oliver has been working on the project since 2020 and had to do a lot of preparation.
However, his previously completed projects were not exactly simple. For example, they involved autonomous trucks moving among other vehicles at a container terminal. "AGVs are proven technology in comparison," says Boldt, whose frequent exchange with English-speaking partners and colleagues is quite evident.
On a test field surrounded by a safety fence, the first AGVs for the CTB are already in place, right next to a temporary workshop. Behind it, along the quay wall, towering container cranes for handling cargo on ships. These currently operate in conjunction with van carriers and must be adapted, both structurally and in terms of their control systems, for AGV operation.
“This is a great milestone in our marathon,” says Oliver, pointing to the new Konecranes equipment. “Now I can finally see the AGVs on our site, and I can have them modified and tested. But we still need a lot of stamina to reach the finish line!”
Here is the full report from the HHLA magazine.
