Eimskip reduces PTI time with more than 50% – Thanks to Star Cool’s Intelligent Trip Inspection (ITI)
To ensure that they are ready for next shipment, empty reefers are subject to what is known as a “pre-trip inspection” (PTI). This is generally carried out just before a reefer is released for cargo loading and can often involve substantial time in physical checks and container handling. Because this process is largely unavoidable, saving time at this point has a direct impact on the unproductive time for a reefer, and thus the profitability of reefer operations.
The PTI is designed to check not just the functioning of the cooling and heating unit, but also includes inspection of the container for structural damage, ensuring that the inside is in a clean and safe condition to receive and maintain cargo. Despite the importance of a thorough PTI, cost and utilization concerns have applied pressure on traditional methods resulting in customers seeking equal or better ways to ensure the expected performance of their reefer equipment at increased turn around times.
The ITI feature doesn’t compromise the integrity of the process at all – it simply speeds it up. It’s made my job so much easier while offering the same level of protection for both shipping lines and their end customers.
Rasmus Dahl, Eimskip Aarhus
Technological advantage
An innovation by MCI has helped to radically reduce the time taken to conduct PTIs with no compromise in quality or safety.
With Star Cool’s “Intelligent Trip Inspection” (ITI) the reefer conducts the same self-diagnostics as used in the normal PTI, while the reefer machine is in cargo operation – without any additional risk to the cargo being transported. ITI enables operators to make significant cost savings by skipping some of the expensive and time-consuming depot based PTI tests and avoiding the associated lifts and movements.
Proven in daily operations
Mike Mikkelsen and Rasmus Dahl both manage the PTI process for Eimskip at Aarhus harbour in Denmark. Because he conducts inspections on reefers that come in by truck, Mike’s work is especially affected by the ITI feature:
“On a normal day, I carry out up to 10 reefer inspections. As the reefer comes in on the trailer, it is a clear advantage to complete inspections faster as it means that the waiting trucks can be reloaded and turned around more quickly”, Mike explained.
Depending on the outside temperature, a full PTI normally takes between 2-4 hours. However, if a container has already received the ITI checkmark, it can be cleared by inspection and washed in around one hour. Mike therefore saves at least 50% time on reefers with ITI.
ITI is another example of the active contribution that MCI’s Star Cool system is making to cargo safety and the commercial viability of shipping lines across the globe.
