CONTAINER TERMINAL CASE STUDY

A Shutdown Solution Keeps a Major Container Terminal Moving

With an average of over 10,000 intermodal containers being shipped in Canada by rail alone every week, container transport literally helps to drive the Canadian economy. Disruptions at an intermodal container terminal could reverberate down the supply chain, making smooth operations (and reliable power) essential.

That’s why, when a major container terminal came to Trinity Power looking for generators to support their scheduled shutdown, we knew how important it was to do the job right, not only for our client, but for all of the businesses and consumers that would be impacted if power to the facility was disrupted.

The Client: A State-of-the-Art Port Facility

At 85 hectares, and supported by 1,100 metres of contiguous berth, it’s no wonder that this particular port has been dubbed the “Gateway to the Pacific”. With its fleet of electrical, high-speed cranes, and state-of-the-art computer systems, the facility, which is Canada’s first semi-automated container terminal, strives for safety, efficiency and innovation.

With an expansion in the works, the terminal is looking towards being the “largest and most productive intermodal facility in the world”.

The Challenge: One Shutdown. Eleven Generators.

In preparation for a weekend shutdown, the facility was on the search for eleven 600kVA generators. With vital electrical systems that had to stay online and perishable inventory being stored in refrigerated cars, it was vital that the temporary power system that our client employed would work optimally and reliably.

Our Approach: The Power Broker Model at Work

Eleven is not the loneliest number – but when it comes to sourcing that many generators of the same size at the same time, it can be a challenging one.

But thanks to our power broker model, the Trinity team was able to reach out to our vendor network to locate all of the generators that our client needed.

Along with the generator rentals, we also provided over 14,000 feet of 4/0 cable from our locations in BC and Alberta, and two 750kVA transformers. Rounding up all that equipment from multiple vendors and locations took dedication, skill and communication, not just from the Trinity team, but from our generator rental partners, whose excellent service and robust equipment fleets allowed us to provide the same for our client.

The Result: Equipment that Was On-Site, On Time

Despite the large equipment list, and the many locations it had to be shipped from, the Trinity team was able to ensure that all of the necessary equipment arrived on site, within our client’s deadlines. This meant that they were able to keep their critical systems and power supplies running while they completed their scheduled shutdown, eliminating downtime, and preserving the product that needed to remain refrigerated.