Page 16 - Port of Baltimore Magazine May/June 2013

[14] The Port of Baltimore ■ May/June 2013 To subscribe or renew, visit www.marylandports.com
Environmental Stewardship at the Port of Baltimore > > > GreenPort
BY NANCY MENEFEE JACKSON
T he new cranes at the Seagirt Marine Terminal have
been garnering a lot of attention lately. But chugging
along out of the limelight is an equally important
evolution in machinery — a Tier 4 (i) engine-equipped
top-pick that substantially reduces emissions while lifting
and stacking containers at the terminal. The Environmental
Protection Agency standards for Tier 4 (i) engines demand
that they reduce some emissions by as much as 90 percent.
Manufactured by Hyster Company, the new top-picks, also
called top loaders, cost about half a million dollars apiece. “At
Hyster Company, we take a different approach when reviewing,
engineering and producing our EPA emission-compliant port
equipment — bigger is not always better,” said Jason Gasparik,
Director of Hyster Big Truck Sales. “We’ve right-sized our
engines to deliver more horsepower with less displacement,
allowing emissions to be reduced while getting the tough jobs
done. This engine approach delivers real-world fuel savings and
emissions reductions for our customers.”
Powered by a Cummins Tier 4 (i) diesel engine, the top
loader was the first of its kind in the United States. It has an
eco mode that can be used if the operator is not in need of high
performance and two types of idle management, including one
that automatically shuts the vehicle down if the operator leaves
the seat for a certain amount of time.
“Hyster approached us in 2012 about bringing in these
machines and testing them as a demo,” said Patrick Howell,
Crane and Engineering Manager for Ports America Chesapeake
in Baltimore.
COURTESY OF HYSTER
Seagirt’s Top Loaders Earn
Top Marks in Emissions Reduction