Baggage Handling Systems at Airports

In 2011 the Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) awarded Vanderlande Industries a Design and Build contract for their new baggage handling system. After a year of design and detailing, December 14 marked the official and final contract signing between YVR and Vanderlande. The phased installation of the new extensive baggage handling system (BHS) will begin in January 2013 and will be completed by early 2016.

Over the past year, Vancouver International Airport has worked closely with the Vanderlande Industries project team built from local and international knowledge to develop the final design of the new baggage handling system. The design accommodates future expansions and various growth scenarios over the next decade to maintain and increase the airports international ranking. The current scope of the Baggage Backbone Project focuses on a faster connection between existing baggage handling systems, a new sortation system and modernizing the controls system for the airport’s daily operations.

The new system utilizes a high speed conveying system, called TUBTRAX to transport the bags. This system places the bags into a tub to make a faster, high speed and more reliable transport possible. The TUBTRAX transport system at YVR also features new developments that make it possible to automatically transport bags up to a length of 2 meters. This will be done on the same infrastructure.

Integrated control of the baggage handling system will be done with Vanderlande’s VIBES software solution, which will replace the existing Sort Allocation Computer System (SAC). VIBES provides complete operational management of the airport operation and is designed to support future changes and growth at YVR.

Robbert Faas, Project Director, stated, “we are very pleased with this contract and we look forward to continuing and strengthening our nearly decade long relationship with Vancouver. This is an exciting challenge bringing these new technologies to YVR, an endeavor we are confident will be a great success”.