Heavy Duty Port Crane Reeling Cable for STS RTG Cranes

Port cranes never stop moving — and the cable feeding them has to move with them, thousands of times a year, onto and off a reeling drum under full tensile load. A port crane reeling cable is built for exactly this duty: energy and control supply for ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTG), rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMG), level luffing cranes and bulk handling cranes. Compared with ordinary rubber-sheathed flexible cable, a true reeling construction delivers roughly three times the bending life: fine-stranded class 5 copper conductors, short-pitch core stranding, a wrapping bed that lets cores slide against each other, and a heavy-duty outer compound that survives abrasion, oil, ozone and salt mist. This page explains the construction, the selection logic and the data we confirm before quoting.

Product Overview

Reeling cables serve as power and control supply on reeling drums — the cable winds and unwinds in sync with crane travel. Beyond port cranes, the same construction family is used on reelers, transport machinery, conveyors, tower cranes, construction hoists and other vertical lifting equipment, and in drag chain systems as a combined reel-and-drag cable.

The duty environment defines the construction: outdoor quayside exposure to sun, salt mist and rain; high mechanical loads at the drum flange and the first guide roller; small effective bending radius as layers stack on the drum; and wide temperature swings. A reeling cable for port duty is therefore specified by application behavior — tensile strength, bending life, torsion balance and sheath toughness — not by conductor size alone.

Typical constructions use flexible class 5 stranded copper conductors (per IEC 60228 / DIN VDE 0295 class 5), natural or synthetic rubber, EPR, TPE or PUR insulation in colored or number-coded cores with a yellow-green earth core, cores laid up at short pitch under a non-woven wrapping bed, and an outer sheath of oil- and weather-resistant neoprene (chloroprene) or PUR, usually in black. Voltage ratings commonly specified are 450/750V for control and light power, and 0.6/1kV (1.8/3kV on request) for main power feeders — the exact rating and construction are confirmed per project TDS.

Key Features / Construction

• Flexible class 5 stranded copper conductor (tinned options), IEC 60228 / DIN VDE 0295 class 5

• Short-pitch core stranding for torsion-balanced bending during reeling

• Insulation: natural/synthetic rubber, EPR, TPE or PUR, colored or coded cores with yellow-green earth core

• Non-woven wrapping bed allowing core movement under repeated bending

• Optional tensile reinforcement for high-lift vertical reeling applications

• Outer sheath: oil-, abrasion- and weather-resistant neoprene, or high-wear PUR (black or grey)

• Cold-resistant, corrosion-resistant and halogen-free compound options

• Typical bending radius about 7.5 x outer diameter (depending on construction)

• Typical temperature range for mobile duty down to -40°C; upper limit depends on compound — confirm per TDS

• Flame retardant constructions available for zones with fire-performance requirements

Electrical and mechanical data above reflect commonly specified values for this cable family. Your project's exact voltage, temperature class and bending radius are confirmed on the type TDS before order.

Standards & Certifications

• Conductors per IEC 60228 (class 5 flexible)

• Design practice aligned with IEC 60245 and VDE 0298 for flexible rubber cables, adapted to reeling duty

• Flame retardant options tested per IEC 60332 family where specified

• Project-specific tests: bending cycles, tensile load, drum simulation and abrasion, per specification

Type approval from CCS, DNV, ABS, LR, BV and RINA is relevant where the cable forms part of a shipboard or offshore installation and is available for applicable types — confirm the requirement per project. Refer to the Certifications page or contact us for type-specific confirmation.

Applications

• STS (ship-to-shore) container cranes — trolley, gantry and hoist power supply

• RTG and RMG container yard cranes on reeling drums

• Bulk, general cargo and level luffing cranes in ports and steel yards

• Reelers, transport machinery and conveyors

• Tower cranes and construction hoists (vertical reeling)

• Drag chain systems using combined reel-and-drag duty cable

Why Choose Anhui Tiankang

• Reeling-specific engineering. Conductor stranding pitch, wrapping bed and sheath compound are selected as a system for drum duty — not a standard flexible cable with a tougher jacket.

• Application-verified data. Bending life, tensile capacity and drum compatibility are stated on the TDS for the specific type, so your reeling drum supplier can verify fit before installation.

• Duty-matched compounds. Neoprene for weather and oil, PUR for extreme abrasion, cold-flexible versions for northern ports — recommended per your port conditions, not by catalogue default.

• Schedule-based quoting. Send the crane maker's cable list and we match each line, flagging where a festoon or flat cable is the better mechanical choice.

• Documented supply. TDS, routine test reports and drum-length packing plans accompany each shipment on request.

Selection Guide / Buying Considerations

1. Define the duty: reeling drum (horizontal travel), vertical reeling (hoists), or combined reel-and-drag in a chain — each stresses the cable differently.
2. State voltage and function — 450/750V control/light power or 0.6/1kV main feeders — plus core layout, e.g. 4x16, 3x25+3x6/2, or 24x1.5 with integrated fiber.
3. Measure the real bending geometry: drum diameter, layer stacking, first guide roller position — the effective radius often differs from the drum's nominal diameter.
4. Describe the environment: salt mist, oil splash, temperature range, and any drag or crushing risk at the quay.
5. Confirm tensile requirements for vertical or high-lift reeling — integrated reinforcement may be required.
6. Provide quantity, preferred drum lengths and destination port.

Photos of the existing cable and drum arrangement are enough for a first accurate quotation.

FAQ

Q1: What bending radius should I design for?
Commonly about 7.5 times the cable outer diameter for this family, but the true limit depends on construction and drum geometry. Send drum diameter and roller layout and we confirm the correct type.

Q2: Reeling cable or festoon cable — which do I need?
Reeling drums use round reeling cables; festoon systems use flat or round festoon cables running on trolleys. The two are not interchangeable — we help you choose per the crane's energy supply design.

Q3: Neoprene or PUR sheath?
Neoprene offers excellent weather, oil and flame behavior at moderate cost; PUR gives superior abrasion and tear resistance where the cable drags over rollers or debris. Both are available — the choice follows your port conditions.

Q4: Can the cable work in very cold climates?
Cold-flexible compound options support mobile duty down to -40°C as commonly specified. Confirm the exact temperature class per type on the TDS.

Q5: What information do you need to quote?
Crane type, voltage and core layout, drum diameter and roller arrangement, environmental conditions, and quantity. Use the contact page to send your cable list or drum drawings.

Contact / Request a Quote

Send your crane cable schedule, drum drawings or photos of the existing installation through the contact page. We will confirm the reeling construction, compound selection and TDS data for your drum geometry, and return a quotation with delivery and packing plans.