EGA moves toward total automation by replacing existing cranes in Jebel Ali

Today, on June 6, the largest industrial organisation in the UAE, excluding oil and gas, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) declared their plan of mounting highly-automated, multi-functional overhead cranes in Jebel Ali in a journey to own fully automated cranes utilised in reduction cell tending and also to obtain future jobs in the fast-developing world.

As part of the replacement deal, EGA will be taking out sixteen worn-out 25-years old cranes and interchanging them with 14 latest models that feature auto-positioning and advanced sensory abilities.

Fives, a French industrial engineering group, has agreed to provide the new cranes. All the 14 new cranes have to be installed and activated by 2025, with the first crane scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023.

EGA claims that the heightened automation systems in the new cranes will boost safety, reliability and efficiency.

The technology is just a prelude to the company’s future objectives of operating cranes distinctly from a central control room and finally gaining full automation of the device.

 To initiate the crane replacement project CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban and Sébastien Gauguier visited EGA’s potlines in Jebel Ali.

The CEO of EGA Abdul Bin Kalban, narrated: "Pot tending cranes are the workhorses of an aluminium smelter, and driving automation offers significant potential to reduce risks for people and improve efficiency and cost. Our new cranes will boost automation in our potlines from the day they are installed, and we expect to make great progress in further automation during these cranes’ working lives."

"These cranes are an investment in the long-term robustness of our operations and will help enable us to create value for many decades to come. Using technology to enhance operations is at the heart of EGA’s Industry 4.0 strategy," he concluded.

Sebastien Gauguier commented: "Fives has worked with EGA since aluminium production began in the UAE in 1979 and we are pleased to continue to earn the trust of the largest ‘premium aluminium’ producer in the world."

"Through our partnership with EGA we will together lead the industry in crane automation in aluminium smelters," he added.

The leading aluminium organisation, EGA proudly upholds 80 reduction cell tending cranes based at its Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah sites overall.

The purposes of these cranes often vary from anode replacement to metal tapping in a hostile environment with high heat and magnetism properties. As notified by the authorities, each crane weighs 100 tonnes.