Currently, approximately 3.4% of containers transferred from ship to dock are inspected at ports. This statistic is directly tied to a significant structural safety issue, which justifies the need for a crane model capable of automatically scanning 100% of containers without incurring any logistic cost. This is one of the core purposes of STS Transfer Line, a newly patented system with international scope. Its application results in ship-to-shore cranes with energy efficiency exceeding 70%, providing an alternative that greatly enhances performance: these cranes can unload 2.6 containers at once, compared to single-container capacity of current models, making this a landmark advancement for global port operations.
A breakthrough in performance: productivity increased by 160%
When discussing terms such as productivity, performance, and efficiency, the interest that this new patent has sparked among ports and crane manufacturers becomes evident. The industrial designer and inventor of this system, Juan Carlos Barberá, shows the profitability of STS Transfer Line as follows: "The average savings per container is €15, which means we are talking about annual savings of €94.5 million at ports that handle 6.3 million containers per year."
In percentage terms, productivity is 160% better than the current model, which leads into an annual return on investment of hundreds of millions of euros at major ports. A significant leap in profitability, marked among other qualities by energy efficiency directly related to a counterweight system between useful loads (similar to an elevator). The descending container acts as a counterweight to the ascending container on the opposite side, a process which the designers themselves clarify in the most visually possible way on their website, resulting in another overwhelming statistic that confirms their own inventor: "the study conducted by the project's engineers establishes an energy savings reaching figures above 70%."
Sustainability takes center stage: over 70% energy savings and 51% reduction in CO2 emissions
The reduction in CO2 emissions will always be above 51%. Beyond the energy and cost savings, this innovative counterweight system has a direct positive impact on the environmental aspect. Thanks to this specific mechanism, CO2 emissions are reduced by at least 51%. From a more concrete perspective, and emphasizing the standards managed by professionals in the sector, the average emissions reduction surpasses the figure of 1.55 kg CO2/TEU, an indicator that refers to emissions per unit of transported cargo, another factor that also contributes to this multimillion-dollar savings.
But beyond the strictly technical aspects, to fully understand the role of this new patent, its Valencian originators cite examples of models that also brought structural change in their sectors: "STS Transfer Line is to the maritime industry what ABS brakes are to the automotive industry." Just as with vehicle manufacturers, both ports and crane manufacturers now have access to a new, highly impactful element.
Job creation in the age of automation: new opportunities for specialized workers
Despite this crane level of automation, the system patented for STS Transfer Line opens new career opportunities for specialized workers. With a focus on making operations safer, more sustainable and easier to manage, it is designed to simplify tasks for operators while maintaining a need for skilled labor. As the global shipping industry moves toward automated solutions, this crane provides a balanced approach that offers high-tech jobs for workers trained in operating and maintaining these advanced systems.
“The crane had to be safer, more efficient, more sustainable and simpler for workers” says Víctor Barberá, CEO of STS Transfer Line. “Our project addresses all these key points, making it attractive not only ports and crane manufacturers but for governments concerned with both economic and environmental sustainability.”
The shift toward automation doesn’t reduce the need for human workers. In fact, it opens new roles requiring specialized skills in crane operation, technical support and environmental monitoring. As ports evolve and adopt more advanced systems, the demand for skilled professionals to manage and maintain this technology is expected to grow.
Innovation with a purpose: safety, efficiency and sustainability at the core.
The development of the crane was driven by the need for enhanced safety, greater efficiency, increased sustainability and simplified operations for workers. From the beginning, these key concepts have marked the entire research of a project that has just come to light after more than 4 years of work and investment in R&D. In essence, features that make container terminals, crane manufacturers, and even states themselves interested publics. According to the CEO of the firm, Víctor Barberá, "we are facing the only crane on the market that has managed to combine safety, performance, energy savings, sustainability, and operability."
Everything related to the sales part and the increase in profitability goes hand in hand with the objectives of the manufacturers in the sector. However, as highlighted by the director of marketing and sales of STS Transfer Line, Ricardo Moncho, the sustainable commitment has also reached the strategy of manufacturers and states: "We are at a point where the environmental aspect has become a key strategic axis for ports and politicians, and this is also part of our raison d'être. We are proud to be a regenerative company and to contribute to society by structurally working for a better environment."
Indeed, this is a project designed for its impact to transcend from manufacturers to ports, and even to public interest. "Talking about safety means talking about factors that cannot be priced. The value of being able to prevent an attack or detect a shipment of narcotics goes far beyond the figures," concludes Juan Carlos Barberá when referring to a new system that, since he began to imagine it, was already far beyond a new type of more productive STS crane.
