The Nesserlander lock has been the gateway to Emden's inland port since 1888. In an extensive refurbishment project - which ultimately amounted to a complete new build over ten years - Niedersachsen Ports brought the facility up to the latest technical standards. Enclosure and IT rack solutions from the Rittal system are in use in Emden, from the low-voltage supply and IT networks to compact outdoor enclosures in stainless steel. The main reason for the selection was the integrated system approach from project planning to implementation.

Integrated system approach
The Nesserlander lock in Emden has always been something special with its tasks. First of all, the facility performs the classic lock function between the port and the tidal water level of the Outer Ems towards the North Sea. In addition, as part of the dyke system, it is part of the coastal protection and prevents silt from the Dollart from entering the harbor basin. The picture is completed by the newly built bascule bridge for the road traffic above. It opens with every lock operation, making room for the ships.

Rittal switchgear cabinet technology
The system is supplied via three low-voltage switchgear units based on Rittal enclosure technology including NH fuse switch-disconnectors and fuse switch-disconnectors from the Riline busbar system. The uncluttered appearance is also characterized by IT racks for the complex network technology, TS 8 control cabinets for the complex automation and safety technology as well as stainless steel compact enclosures for supplying the outdoor areas - pragmatically mounted on lighting masts.

All the individual functions of the lock and bridge are networked with each other in Emden - resulting in complex automation. This is essentially distributed across three locations: the engine room in the so-called Binnenhaupt on the harbor side, the engine cellar of the bascule bridge and the emergency control station above. The project was mainly implemented by Scholl Energie- und Steuerungstechnik from Lübeck. The specialists for maritime switchgear construction exclusively used Rittal enclosure and power distribution technology for the implementation. "The system supports value creation from engineering through construction to application," summarizes Dennis Lehnhardt, Business Unit Manager at Scholl.

The system concept is convincing
In addition to the general quality of workmanship, it is above all the system concept that makes life easier for switchgear manufacturers - from the quickly available range of accessories to engineering tools such as Eplan Electric P8 and Eplan Pro Panel as well as perfectly coordinated Perforex BC 1001 CNC machining centers from Rittal Automation Systems. "This gives us the opportunity to reduce our production times and allows us to react relatively easily to rescheduling even during an ongoing project," says Lehnhardt. For Thomas Tröster, Electrical Team Leader at Niedersachsen Ports, "Synergy effects with existing systems also count. It is easier for us to change a cabinet if we stay in the system."

Partner for the maritime industry
As a global system provider, the maritime industry is one of Rittal's key target markets. Solutions based around "Rittal - The System." are used in numerous shipyards, ships, ports, offshore platforms and on inland waterways. Customers include all major ship chandlers and shipyards. The range of solutions includes enclosure and control cabinet systems, climate control solutions, power distribution systems and IT infrastructure solutions. pb