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 CONTENTS
Buss Erk is using a new

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MAY 2017 issue
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EDITORIAL
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Samantha Smith Directories
TRADE & COMMODITIES
[email protected] Stability returning to coal trade? 2
Stephanie Hodgkins Office Manager Resurgent grain and soya exports from South America 4
[email protected]
CHINA LEADS THE WAY IN GLOBAL CEMENT TRADES 5
SALES
Matthew Currin Senior Sales
[email protected] Executive SHIPPING & TRANSPORT
Gregg Franz Advertisement Sales
[email protected] Executive GB Railfreight showcases refurbished coal hoppers 12
CORRESPONDENTS
Damen celebrates 90 years in the shipping industry 13
Brazil Patrick Knight AN EMERGING HUB: GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN TODAY’S SRI LANKA 16
India Kunal Bose
Asia David Hayes
Europe Barry Cross PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS
Malaysia Wira Sulaiman
Philippines Fred Pundol
Best quarter ever for Port of Ghent 18
South Africa Iain McIntosh Cargo variety highlights capabilities at Thunder Bay 19
UK Maria Cappuccio New shiploader for Vostochny 20
UK Michael King
UK Richard Scott
Jewo bulk-ships stainless steel via Rotterdam 20
USA Colby Haines
USA Walter Mitchell
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
Business Publishing International Mould & mildew prevention with a DomeSiloTM for grain storage 56
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Tel: +27 31 583 4360 A BREATH OF FRESH AIR: PNEUMATIC BULK HANDLING EQUIPMENT 59
Fax: +27 31 566 4502 DIGITAL EVOLUTION: SOFTWARE & AUTOMATION 109
Email: [email protected] HARD AND FAST RULES FOR CEMENT HANDLING 113
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1
BULK CARRIER TRADE & FLEET OUTLOOK

Stability returning to coal trade?

E
vidence pointing to firmer support for commodity products, by the World Steel Association show Japan’s growth
import demand in a number of countries has been at just over 1% this year, following a decrease of similar
emerging. Could this indicate that prospects for magnitude in the past twelve months. In the European
growth in world seaborne dry bulk trade are improving? A Union a 0.5% rise expected in 2017 is slower than last year’s
stronger trend seems quite possible, but there are major 2.3% increase. China could see a flat outcome this year after
uncertainties including coal trade’s performance. growing by 1% last year.
The global economic growth background is brightening,
according to the IMF’s latest (mid-April) quarterly GRAIN
assessment. Only a small 0.1 percentage point upgrade in The new 2017/18 crop year starting July is becoming a
forecast global GDP growth has been made, to 3.5% in 2017 greater focus of attention in the grain sector. An early
(after a sluggish 3.1% last year). But the change is forecast by the International Grains Council suggests that
significant after a long period of downgrades, and is based global trade in wheat, plus corn and other coarse grains may
on signs of strengthening manufacturing and capital total 340mt, a volume almost unchanged from the 342mt
investment spending which could benefit trade. estimated for the present year.
However, possible changes in some of the key influences
COAL are still unclear. Import demand changes will partly reflect
Recent estimates by a reputable forecaster suggest that summer domestic harvests in northern hemisphere importing
global coal trade will decline again this year, decreasing by countries. Weather conditions determining these crops in the
about 2% from the volume seen in the previous twelve remainder of the growing season are still unpredictable.
months. But it is arguable that expectations of another However, one negative aspect may persist: excessive corn
negative annual result now seem less convincing than stocks in China may restrain grain imports.
previously. Some adverse influences appear to be receding,
at least temporarily. MINOR BULKS
According to updated forecasts by the Australian Among minor bulk commodity movements, agricultural and
Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, related cargoes are prominent. Oilseeds and meals trade,
world trade in steam coal (including land movements, but estimated at around 105mt annually appears to be rising,
mostly seaborne) could decline by 20mt (million tonnes) or boosted by increasing soyameal flows. Fertilizer trade is also
2% in 2017, to 1016mt. Metallurgical coal trade, similarly, sizeable at about 150mt annually but apparently has been
may be 6mt (2%) lower at 309mt. Reduced imports of both fairly flat in the past few years.
coal types into China are seen as a key contributory factor.
BULK CARRIER FLEET
IRON ORE About two-fifths of the entire world bulk carrier fleet is
Steel demand prospects for the year ahead, in steel comprised of Capesize (100,000dwt and larger) vessels,
producing countries which are key raw materials importers. mostly employed in the iron ore and coal trades, the biggest
are mixed. The main boost for global iron ore trade is still fleet segment. In 2017 Capesize tonnage growth is again
China’s rising imports, which totalled 271mt in the first estimated at under 2%, as shown by table 2 below.
quarter of 2017, a 12% increase from last year’s same Newbuilding deliveries are set to fall sharply this year to a
period. Higher steel output and further substitution of much lower level than seen in preceding years, but scrapping
Chinese domestic iron ore were instrumental. also may diminish, resulting in a limited change in net
New predictions of steel demand, based on finished steel deadweight capacity added.

TABLE 1: STEAM COAL IMPORTS IN KEY ASIAN COUNTRIES (MILLION TONNES)

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017*
Japan 113.7 114.5 114.2 120.1 115.8 115.0
South Korea 98.9 100.1 100.8 102.6 102.5 104.0
Taiwan 55.2 57.1 57.0 56.3 55.0 56.0
China 181.5 192.0 165.5 107.9 124.2 130.0
India 123.4 144.1 176.0 171.0 149.2 145.0
Total of above 572.7 607.8 613.5 557.9 546.7 550.0
source: various & BSA estimates *BSA forecast

TABLE 2: CAPESIZE (100,000DWT & OVER) BULK CARRIER FLEET (MILLION DEADWEIGHT TONNES)
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017*
Newbuilding deliveries 41.9 22.0 18.5 16.9 20.0 13.0
Scrapping (sales) 11.7 7.9 4.2 15.4 13.3 8.0
Losses 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3
Plus/minus adjustments –0.2 0.1 0.0 –0.4 –0.5 0.0
Fleet at end of year 279.8 293.8 308.1 309.2 315.2 319.9
MAY 2017

% change from previous year–end +12.0 +5.0 +4.9 +0.4 +1.9 +1.5
source: Clarksons (historical data) & BSA 2017 forecasts *BSA forecast

DCi by Richard Scott, Bulk Shipping Analysis, Tel: +44 (0)12 7722 5784; Fax: +44 (0)12 7722 5784; e-mail: [email protected]

2
NEWS
Resurgent grain and soya exports from South America
Grain and soya exports from South America are set to surge 30% above the previous harvest. The corn crop area has
upwards this year, after a setback over the previous twelve expanded. Exports in the marketing year ending February 2018
months. The 2017 total could be about one quarter higher, could rise by 21% to 27mt.
approaching 190mt (million tonnes), based on recent forecasts. If Corn exports from Brazil have become a prominent feature
TRADE & COMMODITIES

that volume is achieved, it will comprise about a third of world of world grain trade in recent years but in 2016 there was a
trade in these cargoes. severe downturn. Production fell because of adverse effects from
Soyabeans and meal exports from Brazil and Argentina are the dry weather. This year corn production from two separate crops
largest part, possibly totalling about 120mt. The balance is mostly is expected to recover strongly, boosted by good weather, rising
corn, plus some wheat and other grain types. During the past by 40% to 94mt. Exports in the year ending March 2018 could
decade, growth in South America’s exports has been remarkably reach 32mt, based on USDA estimates, more than double those
strong, although annual changes have varied greatly. of the preceding twelve months.
A guide to changes unfolding is shown in the table below,
summarizing forecasts prepared recently. As demonstrated BUOYANT SOYABEANS AND MEAL EXPORTS
dramatically last year, however, expectations sometimes change as Soyabeans and meal sales from South America to a wide range of
the season progresses. Estimates for harvests now under way in foreign buyers could strengthen this year, after declining in the
South America, and calculations for export sales may be revised. preceding period. Exports during 2017 are estimated at almost
Moreover global import demand, and amounts supplied by 120mt, a 13mt (12%) increase. Global import demand continues
competitors in other countries, is subject to constant review. to expand solidly, although Brazil and Argentina face competition
from other suppliers, principally the USA, in many markets.
PROMISING PROSPECTS Brazil’s soyabeans output in the current harvest looks set to
This year’s total grain and soya exports volume from Brazil and increase by 15% from last year, exceeding the symbolic one
Argentina may be much higher, by an estimated 24%. Figures hundred million level, to reach 111mt. Further growth in the
derived from US Dept of Agriculture data suggest that an overall area under cultivation and good yields have assisted. Beans and
36mt increase could be seen, representing a recovery after a meal exports in marketing year 2017/18 ending January could
21mt or 12% reduction last year to 154mt. rise by 18% to 79mt, based on USDA’s estimates.
Several separate USDA forecasts published in the middle of In Argentina, soyabeans production in the current harvest
last month have been used for these calculations. Marketing year seems likely to remain almost flat at 56mt amid a slightly lower
periods for cereals and oilseeds exports differ, and so the crop area. Beans and meal exports during the marketing year
calculated total is not as precise as it appears. The marketing ending March 2018 could be about 2% higher at 41mt.
periods differ mainly because harvest timing varies.
The result is a broad indicator of what can be foreseen, based IMPORT DEMAND LOOKS STURDY
on current information. Illustrating how circumstances can South America’s export sales reflect several influences. Grain and
change, twelve months ago a marginal 1% decrease was expected soyabeans output in the latest harvests is crucial, while stock
in 2016, but the downturn proved far larger. levels also have an impact. Competition from other suppliers is
relevant. Ultimately, consumption trends and the extent of
JUMPING GRAIN EXPORTS reliance on foreign supplies in importing countries determines
Exports of wheat plus corn and other coarse grains from South the outcome.
America appear set to resume an upwards trend this year. Among importers, changes are visible. There are signs of
Following last year’s large reduction, a 23mt or 50% rise to just reduced import demand, in the wheat and coarse grains sector, in
over 70mt is predicted, benefiting in particular from the impact China and the European Union. Excessive corn stocks are holding
of abundant rainfall on Brazil’s corn crops. back imports in China, as the government seeks to reduce
Argentina’s wheat harvest starts the annual crop production inventories. Forthcoming domestic harvests in importing
cycle in South America. In the latest harvest completed several countries in mid-2017, if these rise or fall substantially, may alter
months ago output was higher then seen twelve months earlier, the outlook.
at 16mt, reflecting a bigger crop area and good yield. As a result, Within the soyabeans and meal sector import changes are
exports in the marketing year ending November 2017 are mainly positive. In the dominant importing country, China, which
expected to increase by 5% to 10.1mt. relies on imports for most of its supplies, a rising trend is still
Production of corn and sorghum in Argentina this year is now evident, reflecting strengthening soyameal and oil usage. In other
approaching completion and is estimated to total 42mt, about countries import trends mostly seem positive. Richard Scott

SOUTH AMERICAN GRAIN AND SOYA EXPORTS (MILLION TONNES)

Argentina and Brazil — wheat, corn, sorghum, soyabeans, soyameal (varying marketing years - see text)
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017*
Wheat 14.9 5.2 2.4 7.0 10.7 11.5
Corn and sorghum 44.5 45.5 39.4 54.3 36.3 58.9
Soyabeans 38.0 50.7 53.2 66.3 61.1 72.6
Soyameal 35.8 37.6 41.2 47.0 45.6 46.9
MAY 2017

Total 133.2 139.0 136.2 174.6 153.7 189.9

% change from previous year +7.0 +4.1 -2.0 +28.3 -12.0 +23.6
DCi source: US Dept of Agriculture (11 April 2017) & Bulk Shipping Analysis * USDA forecast for 2017

4
 China leads the way

TRADE & COMMODITIES

in global cement trades

China outpaces India in terms of capacity, production and use

In terms of capacity, production and consumption, the Indian eliminated on environmental consideration and to cut losses
cement industry is next only to China’s, writes Kunal Bose. But in exacerbated by low domestic prices, the cement industry in
every respect — from capacity to production and use of cement China has rapidly become the world’s largest exporter. But
— China, where the pace of infrastructure development and future of export sales will be decided by the speed at which
urbanization in the past two-and-a-half decades took the world industry restructuring is done.
by surprise, is many times bigger than India. According to the Surplus capacity and export thrust by China are viewed with
International Cement Review and other research agencies, India’s concern by India and for the right reasons. LafargeHolcim
cement production in 2015/16 was 285mt (million tonnes) subsidiary in India Ambuja Cements, which with capacity of
compared with 2,483mt in its northern neighbour. Similarly, in 63mt, including capacity of its subsidiary ACC is counted among
consumption of the binding material China with 2,511mt is miles industry leaders with pan-India presence, says no customs duty
ahead of 280mt in India. It then is obvious that in cement on cement in the country remains an area of concern for local
making capacity too, China will remain manifold ahead of India. manufacturers, since this is an “incentive to import.” The Indian
If size is the differentiator of the industry obtaining in the industry too is nursing considerable surplus capacity and imports
two major economies, cement is travelling an identical path in will further aggravate “demand and supply mismatch.”
both places by way of scrapping of energy inefficient and high At this point, surplus cement capacity in India is in excess of
cost capacity and accelerated capacity consolidation. Like in 90mt. The history of Indian cement industry since its delicensing
sectors like steel, aluminium and coal, after a period of explosive in 1991 shows periodic occurrences of surplus capacity with
MAY 2017

capacity growth leading to oversupply and low and in many cases expansions materializing in bunches. Demand growth in
negative margins for producers, the Chinese cement industry is subsequent years would mostly absorb the new capacity.
now entering a critical phase of structural adjustment. Burdened Delicensing was the inflexion point for the industry. Local
with much surplus capacity, a portion of which must be industry houses first took advantage of the liberalization to start DCi

5
TRADE & COMMODITIES

investing heavily in building new energy efficient cement plants. new capacity building, particularly through expansion of
The seeds of today’s very successful cement groups such as operating plants to play a leadership role in the industry.
Ultratech Cement, Shree Cement, India Cements and Ramco UltraTech with capacity of 57mt is the second largest cement
Cements were sown in post-delicensing days. group in India next to LafargeHolcim. An ascending entity to
Arguably, the most successful cement company created by watch will be JSW Cement, part of an $11bn group which is
first generation industrialist trio Narottam Sekhsaria, Suresh working to lift capacity from 7mt to 17mt by April 2018. JSW
Neotia and Vinod Neotia taking advantage of policy liberalization has entered into a joint venture with Wagners to “launch and
was Gujarat Ambuja, which was acquired by Holcim in 2006. The promote earth-friendly concrete in India.” In the JV, JSW and
name of the company was since changed to Ambuja Cements Wagners are having holding in the ratio of 74:26. The Indian
following change of hands. Ahead of the merger of Lafarge and company is also building a 1mt plant at Fujairah in the United
Holcim, the former had a fairly large manufacturing presence in Arab Emirates.
India. Observers say post-merger consolidation of assets under Because of large capacity overhang, the industry focus in the
Ambuja, ACC and Lafarge, which was required to sell some next few years will be turn more sharply on consolidation. ACC
capacity following the merger has given a pole position to becoming a subsidiary of Ambuja Cements is a kind of natural
LafargeHolcim in India. progression since both are majority owned by LafargeHolcim.
The merged entity is present in 80 countries with installed But UltraTech buying Jaypee Group’s 17.2mt cement business
capacity of nearly 355mt. “India is jewel in the crown of last year and JSW Cement buying the entire promoter holding
LafargeHolcim in terms of capacity size, contemporary of Orissa based Shiva Cement to be expanded 2.4mt show
technology and profitability,” says an official of the Cement continuing progress in industry capacity consolidation. Indian
Manufacturers Association. For cement manufacturers globally, business groups, which in the past diversified into cement but
India is a market of “unfolding opportunities.” No wonder then, which has not become part of their core activity, are open to
HeidelbergCement of Germany is present here with capacity of divesting their cement interest. Tata Steel, Raymond and Larsen
5.3mt with its brand ‘mycem’ fast gaining in popularity in central & Toubro had in the past exited cement business getting good
and southern India. The company’s presence in India got returns on their investments. “Valuation of cement businesses
considerably strengthened when in July 2016 it acquired the coming for sale has shot up. But cement companies, standalone
majority holding of Italcementi from Italmobiliare. Italcementi or part of diversified groups, which have big debts on their
set its foot in India in 2001 and went on both acquiring and books and are not able to service loans are coming under
building capacity through brownfield route. increasing pressure from banks to sell assets. So going forward
The Dublin headquartered leading international building expect producers with capacity ranging from 1mt to 5mt exiting
materials group CRH plc is too making steady progress in the business,” says an industry official. The units with ownership
cement capacity acquisition in India since 2008 when it bought of good limestone deposits and coal linkages will always
50% of Andhra Pradesh based My Home Industries Limited and command good valuation.
formed a joint venture with MHIL. The two plants of MHIL have Cement demand rise in India where the government is laying
capacity of 4.8mt with claim to be among the lowest cost maximum emphasis on infrastructure development and providing
producer of cement in south India. Then in August 2013, it housing for all should be higher than GDP growth rate. This was
acquired full ownership of Sree Jayajothi Cements with capacity the case with China over many years of breathtaking
of 3.2mt. infrastructure and construction activities. India’s cement demand
In cement capacity consolidation in India, foreign groups, growth in the first half of 2016 was a robust 8.5% on a year-on-
which in some cases had gone through path breaking mergers year basis. But then heavy rains during the last southwest
and acquisitions among themselves, have remained in the monsoon and the subsequent demonetization of two high value
forefront. But some local cement companies, UltraTech Cement notes in early November “pulling back construction cycle” took
in particular saw it early that it has to combine acquisition with a toll of cement demand in the second half. Leaving the industry

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with high idle capacity, cement demand grew only 5% in 2016. For a country like India where infrastructure spending is tuned
Industry officials are drawing comfort from the government to grow rapidly, cement demand growth should be one or two
announcement of spending $1.5 trillion in infrastructure percentage points more than GDP growth rate. This has been
development in the next ten years since that should generate the case with China for a long time. Even in the last couple of
much incremental demand for the binding material. “Cement years when the Chinese leaders decided that the country
will be much in use if the government sticks to the target of needed to move from investment and export led growth to a
housing for all by 2022, goes for cement concrete roads in a big model powered by consumption leading to slowing down of
way and build 100 smart cities,” says independent analyst economic growth, Beijing felt the need to provide stimulus to
Ganapathy Srinivasan. house building and construction, benefiting cement and steel in
What has foodgrain production got to do with cement use in particular.
the country? According to industry officials, “quite a lot.” In the whole of 1990s and also in the first decade of the new
Empirical evidences are there whenever farm production either millennium, cement production and consumption in China grew
stagnates or takes a dip, farmers will postpone construction or at a higher rate than per capita GDP’s progress. Starting 2011,
extension of residential houses and storehouses using cement per capita GDP growth overtook that of cement. According to
and steel to better times. The 2016/17 Indian farm season (July China National Bureau of Statistics, the country’s cement
to June) heralds a change in fortunes of farmers when, according production in 2015 was down 4.9% to 2.35bn tonnes. As the
to the second government estimate, foodgrain production will property sector gained some momentum in 2016 helped by
climb to an all-time high of 272mt. It will be recalled that India interest rate cuts, cement output rose 2.5% to 2.4bn tonnes last
went through two back to back deficit monsoon years year. The day of reckoning for the Chinese cement has arrived
immediately before the current season when yearly food grain as President Xi Jinping has come down heavily on major
production was a little over 250mt. industries such as coal, steel and cement to phase out polluting
Farm prospects for the next season remain favourable when units stuck with energy inefficient old technologies. Restrictions
the likelihood of a normal monsoon should further lift foodgrain have been put on cement production during the winter as a
production to 274mt. Improvement in income resulting from pollution control move.
bumper production and good times ahead will lead farmers to India which, like China, is a signatory to the Paris Agreement
start new construction. Similarly, for safe storage of foodgrains, on climate change remains watchful about cement factory
large numbers of silos are required to be built across the emissions. Over the past decade, cement units in India have
country. Even while India is moving apace to join the ranks of taken steps, including economizing of power use through
developed countries, the country offers the unedifying sight of improvements in operational efficiency and optimization of fuels
freshly harvested crops being left in the open with tarpaulin or mix and waste heat recovery system. For an efficient producer
PVC sheet covering. Moreover, small farmers in general make of cement, power and fuel account for about 22% of total costs.
do with storage structures with locally available materials, which The mantra for the industry then is less the use of power to
are neither rodent proof nor secure from fungal and insect make a unit of cement, the better it is for the environment. An
attacks. No wonder the FAO says in a study report that India industry official says cost efficiency of cement plants in India will
loses on an average 10% of its foodgrains production every year. improve if logistics cost now constituting about 29% of total
Cement use stands to gain much if the government at central expenses is reduced substantially by improving rail movement in
and state levels initiates moves for large scale building of particular. With demand outlook improving, the Indian cement
community storages and silos. industry will continue to grow in capacity helped principally by
Marked improvement in the working of cement companies in local availability in abundance of the required two principal raw
the quarter ended March shows demand rise for the commodity materials limestone and coal. To facilitate capacity growth, the
in rural and semi-urban areas on the back of spurt in income of government will have to be expeditious in organizing auctions of
people engaged in the farm sector and the government actually existing and newly explored limestone deposits and coal
rolling out major infrastructure projects, particularly highways. linkages. The country’s new exploration policy encouraging
The trend is likely to be sustained as the realization is there that participation by private domestic and foreign companies in
infrastructure that is now available, if not adequately prospecting and exploring mineral deposits, including limestone
strengthened, will stand in the way of further major investments. bodes well for the cement industry.

Brazil needs sustained economic growth to boost sluggish cement market

There is little sign of an upturn in demand for cement in Brazil, come to an almost complete halt. So many unsold and partly
where huge numbers of unsold houses and offices remain a drag completed houses, as well as offices, now hang over the market,
on the market, writes Patrick Knight. that it is anticipated that a further three or four years of
Few, if any sectors of the Brazilian economy have been hit as economic growth, which is only now showing signs of beginning,
hard in the past four years of deep recession, as the country’s will be needed before demand for new premises perks up again.
cement industry. A decade of steady growth, stimulated in the Encouraged by the growth in consumerism of the past 10–15
main by a boom in the construction and repair of housing, years — a phenomenon brought about by an easing of credit,
which is responsible for close to 70% of industry’s sales, came to rises in wages and pensions, and increases in both employment
an end three years ago. For several years, the number of homes and spending — many millions who were previously unable to
being built each year grew far faster than the number sold, buy their own home, began to do so. To meet the extra
MAY 2017

causing stocks to increase. Coupled with a fast growth in demand, the cement industry embarked on a massive investment
unemployment, and a squeeze on credit, which has forced many programme. Many large new mills were built, several of them in
thousands of home owners to sell, or to fail to complete parts of the country where growth had previously been lower
DCi purchase of houses they had ordered, house building has now than average. Many more mills were expanded. The result was

8
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 TRADE & COMMODITIES
that cement making capacity increased from about 50mt (million
SALES OF CEMENT, MILLION TONNES
tonnes) a year a decade ago, to close to 100mt at the last count.
The industry leader is the Votorantim company, which has 27
2017 50 (estimate)
mills, scattered all over the huge country, which is larger than
2016 55
the whole of Europe. In second place is Intercement owned by
2015 65.2
the Camargo Correa construction company, which has 16 mills,
2014 71.2
and in third place, is the Joao Santos company, which has 11 mills.
2013 70.2
Most of the Santos plants, which operate under the Nassau
2012 68.9
name, are concentrated in the north east of the country, which
Source: Cement Industry Association.
has been growing at a faster rate than the country as a whole in
the past few years. The recently merged Lafarge/Holcim group is
in fourth place, and now operates nine plants, many of these and spending, are also facing severe financial hardship. Both
more modern and larger than those of the older established central and local government have been forced to cut back on
companies. The industry as a whole is formed of 23 companies, spending of all types, both of wages and capital, a process which
ten of them large. One leading steel company, the CSN group, is has still not run its course.
a significant player, and it makes use of industry waste as a raw Although Brazil’s two largest cement companies, Votorantim
material. and Intercement, have subsidiary companies in numerous other
Although the industry was undoubtedly worried by its countries, both in Brazil’s neighbours, large ones such as
growing dependence on new housing, which has been almost Argentina, and smaller ones, such as neighbouring Bolivia,
entirely the responsibility of the private sector, growth has often Uruguay and Paraguay, only relatively small quantities of the
been backed with some financial backing from a government cement made in Brazil has normally been exported. Only very
anxious to see the stock of low cost accessible housing increase rarely, at times of exceptionally peaks in demand, has Brazil
as well. But the industry was also very well aware that, at some imported any cement either. The usually very profitable
point, Brazil would have to greatly increase spending on Votorantim company is also a market leader in the aluminium
infrastructure of all types. Exports, particularly of commodities, complex, which has also performed badly in Brazil in the past
have increased greatly in recent years, as have imports. This has few years, largely because its largest markets are in the
put increased pressure on the network of elderly roads and on construction and motor industries. Fortunately, Votorantim is
outdated railways and ports, as well as airports. These are being also involved in one of the few industries to have been virtually
increasingly used by a new generation of those wanting to travel unscathed during the past few years of poor economic
around Brazil by plane, rather than spend up to three days in performance, forest products, which has been aided by strong
long distance coaches, as used to be the only option. demand for pulp from what is now its major market, China. The
There has always been a substantial sale of cement in bags price of orange juice, also made by Votorantim, has also
bought by millions of the less well off, many of which either built increased because of adverse weather and disease. Despite the
small simple homes themselves from scratch, or extended strong contribution made by pulp and paper, as well as frozen
existing ones. This is usually done to accommodate other orange juice, the Votorantim company made a loss in 2016 its
members of growing families, who would contribute with labour, first ever, while Intercement, with its close involvement with the
if not with funds. But the sudden shrinkage in employment both construction industry, also performed badly last year.
in the construction industry itself, as well as numerous other Prospects for the cement industry remain cloudy, as although
industries, notably the motor and most consumer durable the economy as a whole is growing slightly this year, largely the
industries, has resulted in many people losing their jobs, forcing result of the excellent performance of agri-business, the cement
many to cut back on spending. Many people are having great industry expects to make little more than 50mt this year, 5mt
difficulty in keeping pace with paying back debts they assumed less than in 2016, as there are few signs yet of an upturn by the
when prospects were better. housing sector. Many observers think that it will not be until the
The years of recession have also reduced the flow of taxes at early 2020s, that growth will return. There has been talk of
all levels, federal and local. This means the government has less amalgamation amongst players, but there has been no sign of any
to spend. Many local councils, an important source of patronage form moves regarding that as yet. DCi

Votorantim has 27 cement

mills throughout Brazil.
MAY 2017

DCi

11
NEWS
GB Railfreight showcases refurbished coal hoppers as part of a contract with Tarmac
GB Railfreight (GBRf) has converted 49 wagons to move our customers like Tarmac, we are able to proudly call ourselves
aggregates from Tarmac quarries in the UK. one of the leaders of our industry.”
The re-purposed coal hoppers, The arrival of the latest new
also known as Vulcan wagons, have wagon sets highlights the ongoing
SHIPPING & TRANSPORT

been converted by removing the success of Tarmac’s rail operations as

middle section to make them an a leading construction solutions
appropriate length for aggregate use business responds to increasing
whilst retaining their 102-tonne customer demand for delivery of high
maximum gross laden weight. An quality construction materials.
initial set of 24 wagons has been Chris Swan, Head of Rail at
converted and they are working Tarmac, said: “Increasing rail freight
trains from Tarmac’s Arcow quarry to capability supports our underlying
Bredbury, Agecroft and Leeds. A commitment to sustainability, enabling
second set of 25 wagons has now us not only to lower the whole life
been converted and these will be carbon footprint of customers
working further services from Arcow projects but also reduce our
and Swinden quarries. The newly-fitted wagons will convey a transport CO2 levels. Efficient wagons have a key role to play in
range of different size aggregate materials. delivering these ambitions and so it’s good to see the
GBRf is one year into a five-year contract with Tarmac, hauling repurposing of materials and equipment with the arrival of this
aggregates from Arcow and Swinden quarries. latest wagon set from GB Railfreight.”
John Smith, managing director, GB Railfreight, said: “GB
Railfreight is delighted to work with Tarmac, hauling aggregates ABOUT GB RAILFREIGHT
from its quarries, and the refurbishments we have been able to Founded in 1999 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom,
do as part of this service. We are very pleased to have been able GB Railfreight is the third-largest rail freight operator in the
to refurbish and upgrade 49 new wagons, and continue to find United Kingdom, with a turnover in excess of £120m. GB
innovative ways to support our customers. By being able to take Railfreight is one of the fastest growing companies in the railway
such innovative measures and have positive relationships with sector and transports goods for a wide range of customers.

ABS awarded Subchapter M solutions contract

ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services providing surveys for its fleet and audits of its Responsible
to the marine and offshore industries, has been awarded a Carrier Program (RCP). The company has long recognized
Third Party Organization contract by The Great Lakes Towing the advantages of being proactive in demonstrating
Company (GLT) to support compliance with the United compliance.
States Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M regulations. “GLT has spent the past several years planning for the
“Every organization operating towing vessels in US inland adoption of Subchapter M requirements into our operation
waterways will have to comply with Subchapter M,” says ABS and tug fleet,” says GLT President Joseph Starck. “We looked
Americas Division President Jamie Smith. “As an industry to ABS as exclusive SubM partner based on its commitment
leader in towing vessel safety, ABS helps guide companies to vessel safety, specialized technical understanding of towing
through the available compliance services to find the solution vessels, and comprehensive range of services conveniently
that best meets their unique needs.” available to cover all our Subchapter M compliance
The recently signed contract with GLT, which is a member requirements. We have enjoyed an excellent working
of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), establishes relationship with ABS for years and feel certain that ABS will
ABS as the company’s Third Party Organization (TPO), continue to contribute to our success.
 NEWS
Damen celebrates 90 years in the shipping industry
Damen is celebrating nine decades of operations in the Damen’s four children all play significant roles in operations:
shipbuilding industry. From small beginnings in the 1920s, the Arnout Damen is Chief Commercial Officer, Rose Damen is
company has grown into a renowned maritime service provider Commercial Director at Amels, Annelies Damen manages the

SHIPPING & TRANSPORT

that employs 9,000 people. With Dutch roots, Damen’s corporate properties portfolio, and Bear Damen recently
expansion has been global. This growth can be viewed in terms directed the company’s corporate film.
of its yards, service hubs and other subsidiary companies as well Never a company to rest on its laurels, Damen has always
as a globally-operating client base. For 90 years, Damen’s vessel been defined by its constant forward-thinking strategies. It is this
designs have successfully served customers operating on all over progressive mind-set that has kept the company focused on new
the world. opportunities and market developments. “This is an important
Damen was originally established by two brothers, Jan and year for Damen,” comments Arnout Damen. “It is an opportune
Rien Damen, in 1927. From facilities located on the banks of the moment to identify the key characteristics that will strengthen
River Merwede in Hardinxveld, the Netherlands, they managed our future position in changing the global maritime market.”
the growing firm into a well-respected business. “Continued investment into building strong relationships with
our clients will play a major role. It will be by understanding their
PRODUCTION PROGRESS markets, their activities and their needs that we can help make
When Kommer Damen took over in 1969, he introduced them a success.”
numerous changes to the ship fabrication process. Advances
such as modular construction techniques and series production DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP
of standard designs resulted in considerable increases in Damen Shipyards Group operates 33 shipbuilding and repair
efficiency. Damen’s clients could benefit from shortened delivery yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered
times and flexible vessel configurations. more than 6,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers
The subsequent growth since the late 1960s has been as swift some 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its
as it was broad. The company’s worldwide coverage developed unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to
with the acquisition of foreign yards and the establishment of guarantee consistent quality.
dedicated service centres. The vessel portfolio has grown too — Damen’s focus on standardization, modular construction and
today the company’s vessels serve an ever-evolving range of keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total
maritime sectors. cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance.
Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and
A TEAM PERFORMANCE proven technology.
Looking back at Damen’s success over the years, Chairman Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs,
Kommer Damen highlights the contribution made by the workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo
company’s personnel: “I am honoured to celebrate 90 years of vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries,
Damen. What started as a small team, has grown into a global pontoons and superyachts. For nearly all vessel types Damen
company. And yet — we have achieved this while still retaining offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare
our family values. parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-
“Damen owes its success to the commitment and dedication how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as
that has been invested by our past and present employees. It has nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.
always been important that our personnel enjoy their work and In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair
it is their passion that has made the company into what it is & Conversion has a worldwide network of 17 repair and
today.” conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 x 80 metres.
Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s
LOOKING FORWARD requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of
With a view to forthcoming decades, it is essential to note that large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,350 repair
Damen is still very much a family-oriented business. Kommer and maintenance jobs annually.
NEWS

Cutter Suction Dredger 350 delivered

to Heuvelman Ibis
SHIPPING & TRANSPORT

JUST THREE MONTHS FROM ORDER TO

DELIVERY
A Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 350
has been delivered from Damen Dredging
Equipment in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, to
start work on a canal dredging assignment in
the province of Groningen, in the north of the
country. In order to execute the project,
which involves the extraction of
approximately 220,000m³ of sediment from
the Winschoterdiep canal, the Netherlands-
based marine contractor Heuvelman Ibis
required a heavy-duty dredger at short notice.
Two Damen BS 350 booster stations to
enable pumping over long distances were also
included in the order, placed in January.
Prior to delivery a number of options
were added to the CSD 350 so as to optimise it for the week, followed by a few days of testing, after which the
dredger was fully operational.
The fulfilment of the order, including
designing and installing the options, and
general finishing, took just three months.
“The advantages to clients of Damen’s
policies of standardized production and
holding popular vessels in stock ready for
customization and finishing have once
again been amply demonstrated,” said
Damen Sales Manager Vincent de Maat.
“With a CSD 350 dredger available at
short notice, we were able to work with
Heuvelman Ibis to help them have exactly
the vessel they needed to meet the needs
of their own customers, within the
required timeframe. We are very proud
to have another CSD 350 dredger
working in the Netherlands.”
project. These included a spud
carriage pontoon to further boost
production, and also the addition of
anchor booms to allow unassisted
repositioning. A complete
production measurement system
has also been installed. The result is
a compact, highly efficient and
accurate dredging machine. These
options have not previously been
offered on a CSD 350, but having
been developed for this order will
now become standard options for
future clients.
The dredger was towed to
Delfzijl, a journey taking 48 hours,
MAY 2017

to await deployment while the

booster stations were transported
by road. Final assembly took a
DCi

14
OUR BUSINESS
IS BULK

www.fednav.com
 An emerging hub
SHIPPING & TRANSPORT

identifying growth opportunities

in today’s Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s economy has been growing steadily since 2010, and state-controlled company and the Sri Lankan government on
its transition from a reliance on the agricultural sector to a investment in the Hambantota deep-sea port. Work is also
more urbanized economy is creating new opportunities in Sri under way for the Sri Lanka-China Industrial Zone Development
Lanka’s marine and logistics industry, says Lars Bergström, Group Project in Mirijjawila, Hambantota.
Vice-President, Asia Pacific & Indian Subcontinent, GAC Group. The expansion of ports will have a ripple impact on the
As a relatively small island nation, Sri Lanka’s size has supply chain, creating new opportunities for expansion in areas
historically been seen as a barrier to the expansion of its marine such as husbandry, ship agency and bunker supply.
and logistics sector. However, growing domestic demand and
infrastructure investment, along with a recognition of the A CHANGING PICTURE FOR DRY BULK
country’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, now appears to The breakbulk and dry bulk market in Sri Lanka consists mainly
be stimulating growth opportunities for Sri Lanka’s ‘blue of imports of products such as fertilizers, cement, gypsum,
economy’. clinker, steel and iron, timber and commodity foodstock. There
is no export of dry bulk from Sri Lanka, since all the exports are
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT containerized.
Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure network is now a strategic In 2016, the fertilizer market decreased significantly by some
priority for Sri Lanka. This means that services such as third- 36% mainly due to increased fertilizer prices in the domestic
party logistics, breakbulk and cargo handling are central to the market. Cement import, on the other hand, has grown by 22%,
country’s economic fortunes. as a result of an increase in construction activities in the
MAY 2017

The Sri Lankan government’s ambitious plans include country, especially in the hotel sector.
attracting foreign companies and foreign investment loans to As more imports are now coming in to the country in
develop infrastructure and ports. containerized forms, the scope and type of bulk imports to Sri
DCi For example, negotiations are on-going between a China Lanka seem to be changing. For example, traditional bulk and

16
 SHIPPING & TRANSPORT
breakbulk cargo such as rice and sugar now hardly come into PIRACY
the country and even if they do, they arrive in containers. The Other regional and global trends have also played a role in
Sri Lankan government is looking at renewable energy sources, creating new opportunities for the country’s marine and logistics
which will call into question the country’s longer-term providers. One example of this is piracy.
requirements for coal imports. GAC pioneered the concept of ship supply services at OPL
Heightened building and Galle in 1994. In 2011, the company
construction activities in the country recognized the potential of Galle as an
bode well for GAC Sri Lanka, which ideal location for maritime guard changes.
now handles an increased number As the closest landmass to major shipping
of cement and clinker imports. The routes between Europe and Asia, Sri Lanka
demand for steel imports arriving on proved an excellent supply location for
break-bulk vessels has also increased security guards, which were mandatory on
due in part to the Hambantota many vessels from 2011, at the height of
terminal development. pirate activity in the Indian Ocean. During
Shifting priorities within the this time, GAC handled the clearance of
country have reshaped the dry bulk security guards at the airport in
market in the past few years, but Katunayake, and took them to the Port of
there is still an opportunity for those Galle where they were then transported
who can respond to the demand into international (Off Port Limits) waters.
created by the rapid phase of The guards’ weapons were provided from
development the country is either shoreside depots or floating
experiencing. armouries. Although increased security in
the region has now reduced the need for
EMERGING CRUISE INDUSTRY armed guards, GAC has been able to provide a diversified scope
The shift patterns of dry bulk shipping to and from Sri Lanka are of services, which includes spares delivery, crew changes and
part of a wider realignment of the country’s shipping sector. For provisions/stores delivery to vessels at OPL Galle.
example, there is an increase in the number of cruise ships
calling at the country’s ports, in the light of a tourism boom. LOCAL DYNAMICS
Each new vessel that calls in Sri Lanka requires security, berthing Marine and logistics providers must be mindful of local dynamics
reservations, immigration management and other services. Each as Sri Lanka continues on a path of development. As the
interaction with the cruise industry must be managed to a high government goes full steam ahead with its plan to promote a
standard, in line with the expectations of the cruise lines and globally competitive export-led economy, new legal and
their passengers. Both the availability and quality of such port regulatory frameworks will have an impact on the services
services are essential to ensuring the success of Sri Lanka’s businesses can provide. This small yet dynamic market presents
cruise industry, and the expansion of this vital new income considerable opportunities to those that can offer a diversified
stream. service portfolio to support Sri Lanka’s revival in the current era. DCi

MAY 2017

DCi

17
NEWS

Best quarter ever for Port of Ghent

For the first quarter of 2017, the Port of Ghent recorded a Inland navigation reaches 5.6mt of cargo traffic. This is a
total cargo traffic of almost 14mt (million tonnes). That is by decrease by 160,000 tonnes or by 2.7% as against the first
PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

a large margin the best quarter ever. With this, Ghent Port quarter of last year.
Company sees its cargo traffic continue with the same
fervour as in 2016, which was the best year ever. CARGO CATEGORIES BY SEAGOING AND BY INLAND
With a total cargo traffic by seagoing and inland navigation NAVIGATION
of almost 14mt, Ghent registered nearly 10% more than in For seaborne cargo traffic, iron ore, coal, scrap, rapeseed and
the first quarter of last year or an increase by 1.2mt. This is dry fertilizers are the goods that are on the up. Petroleum
the best quarter ever for the overall transhipment by products are going down.
seagoing and inland navigation. In the first trimester, the port Expressed in lane metres, ro/ro traffic experienced a
received 8% more seagoing vessels (a total of 775) than in growth by 20% to 530,000 lane metres. Conventional
the same period in 2016. For inland navigation, there was an general cargo crosses the threshold of 1mt (+20%), mainly
increase of over 4% in the number of vessels (a total of because of the increasing supplies of steel slabs.
3,680) with a total tonnage that was 10% higher. The decrease in inland navigation is caused by the reduced
transhipment of iron ore. This is however compensated by
ALSO A RECORD FOR SEABORNE CARGO the increasing traffic of iron ore by sea. Maize, wheat, crude
The last quarter of 2016 may have broken the record of best minerals and building materials on the other hand are doing
one ever for the port’s seaborne traffic, however the first very well. It has been a good start of the year for container
quarter of 2017 does it again. traffic by inland navigation: +20%, the third best quarter ever.
In the first three months, with a total of 8.2mt, seaborne This is the result of the further development of new inland
cargo traffic has improved by no less than one fifth as navigation connections with Lille, Rotterdam, Zeeland
compared to the same period of last year. Seaports and Antwerp.

Liebherr sets up new branch office in the Port of Hamburg

In mid-April this year, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and Liebherr-Nenzing Service GmbH signed a lease agreement for a 44,000m2
site at the Kuhwerder Hafen harbour basin. The manufacturer of maritime cranes and other machinery will set up a new operating
site for its Harburg-based sales and service company on the centrally located site. Construction is expected to start in November
2017.
The new location borders on the Steinwerder-Süd district, for which the HPA has initiated a contest to gather ideas for an
innovative concept of use. The site will house a workshop (2,160m2), a warehouse (1,080m2) and an office building (3,125m2). All in
all, 90 employees will work at the location. Moving in is planned for the first quarter of 2019.
The new branch office will be in charge of selling and servicing mobile harbour cranes, ship cranes, and offshore cranes as well as
construction machinery from the duty cycle crawler crane, crawler crane and deep foundation equipment product range. It will also
offer spare part and repair services.
Liebherr-Nenzing had been on the lookout for an appropriate location in northern Germany close to the port. Under its land
restructuring programme the HPA was able to offer the company attractive growth prospects, which is exactly what the port
development plan calls for. “Liebherr will create long-term jobs in the heart of the port and continue to support Hamburg’s
businesses with its know-how,” says Jens Meier, Chairman of the Management Board of the HPA.
“We want to make use of the growth potential and secure the long-term future of our universal port,” says Frank Horch, Hamburg
Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport and
Innovation. “Above all, we strive to secure the many
different jobs the port offers, create new ones and
increase the value added. Liebherr‘s move to the site
is a perfect example of this development aim.”
“By getting Liebherr to locate to the site, the HPA
managed to keep the company, and the jobs it offers, in
Hamburg. At the same time, the HPA offers Liebherr
long-term development prospects enabling it to
expand its business activities in the Port of Hamburg,”
adds Uwe Weidemann, Head of Sales and Project
Development - Port Estate Division at the HPA.
“Due to its logistical advantages we have made
MAY 2017

Hamburg our hub for rental and returned equipment

as well as for all kinds of repair services from the
European region,” says Jörg Schmidt, Managing
DCi Director of Liebherr-Nenzing Service GmbH.

18
 NEWS
Transport by road in the Port of Ghent at lowest level ever
Goods are transported to and from companies in the Port of SHARE BY RAIL DECREASES SLIGHTLY, TONNAGES AT HIGHEST
Ghent via sea-going vessels. A large part of these goods are LEVEL
transported to and from the hinterland. The portion of goods The share of rail transport between the hinterland and the port

PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

transported by road has declined to 34% and has never been so decreased slightly. The railway has an 11% share (-1%). In
low. transported tonnes, the 5mt level was surpassed for the first
Moreover, transport via inland shipping continues to increase. time. This is therefore a new record as well.
With 55% of transport occurring via inland shipping, a record
was even set for the second year in a row in 2016. This finding is FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT
from a study by the Ghent Port Company into the use of all Ghent Port Company focuses on the sustainability of goods
transport options to and from the hinterland in 2016. transport with the hinterland. The Port Company is striving for
15% transport by rail and 35% by road by 2020. The desired 50%
SHARE OF ROAD TRANSPORT CONTINUES TO DECREASE via inland shipping was surpassed for the fifth time in 2016.
Transportation by road from and to the hinterland is 34%. This is Transport by road fell under the intended share of 35% for the
6% less than in 2010. This is also the lowest share of transported first time in 2016.
tonnes (11.9mt [million tonnes]) ever recorded. So, for the first
time ever, the share of transport by road has dropped below ANNUAL STUDY ON TRANSPORT OPTIONS
35%, which is the amount that the Port Company strives for. Every year, Ghent Port Company studies how goods are
transported to and from companies in the port from and to the
NEW RECORD FOR INLAND SHIPPING hinterland. Is that by railway, via inland vessels or with lorries by
Transportation to and from the hinterland via inland shipping set road? In this way, Ghent Port Company maps out the traffic of
a new record: inland shipping is responsible for more than half of companies with maritime waterfront activities that register at
all hinterland transport with a share of 55%. This is a 5% least 20,000 tonnes of cargo transhipment in the port annually.
increase since 2010. This is (almost) the best year with regard to The most recent figures are related to 2016.
the quantity of transported tonnages too.
The Port Company wants to continue stimulating the use of MULTIMODAL PORT
inland vessels as a sustainable transport solution; this is in Thanks to its location in Western Europe and its infrastructure,
keeping with Flanders’ and Europe’s policy. The Port Company the port of Ghent is a multimodal port. Goods that enter the
does this by investing in special infrastructure such as the port are transported onwards with sea-going vessels, inland
construction of new quay walls, by extending jetties and making vessels, by train, by lorry and even by pipeline. This mix of
the mooring of inland vessels in docks safer. transport options is a strong asset.

Cargo variety highlights capabilities at Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay Port facilities were kept
busy in April with a variety of
waterborne cargo. While grain
shipments continued at a strong pace,
the diversity of cargoes handled during
the month highlighted the port’s
versatility.
In addition to grain, shipments of
coal and potash rounded out dry bulk
exports from Western Canada. Other
bulk cargoes included inbound
commodities for local distribution:
road salt, liquid calcium chloride, and
liquid petroleum.
Variety was the theme at the port’s
general cargo facility, Keefer Terminal.
International project cargo shipments
destined for Western Canada included
four 250-tonne electrical transformers
and a 113-foot long urea pressure vessel. A modularized structure was loaded at the Terminal for marine transit to Southern
MAY 2017

Ontario.
As of 30 April, the port’s year-to-date cargo volumes are 26% above the ten-year average. Thunder Bay Port Authority is
anticipating continued steady shipments through May.
DCi

19
NEWS

New shiploader for Vostochny

The coal terminal at the Russian Port of Vostochny, which is curtain system. In addition, to improve safety, the new
located in Primorsky Territory, has taken delivery of its first shiploader will be monitored by the terminal’s CCTV
PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

new shiploader. This is needed as part of the Phase 3 network, which has been fitted with state-of-the-art colour-
development of the terminal. A second unit is also video cameras with 22-x zoom for day/night shooting.
scheduled. These have been acquired as part of a contract Vostochny Port JSC is Russia’s largest common user coal
signed with Marubeni Corporation (Japan) and can load coal terminal, equipped with wagon dumpers, conveyor systems,
at rates of up to 3,800 tonnes per hour. ship loading equipment and a unique multilevel system of
The design of the shiploaders was put together by magnetic separation. The terminal exports coal from various
Vostochny Port JSC and Port Management Company LLC in producers in Russia. Last year it handled 23.5mt (million
compliance with the latest standards and requirements on tonnes) of coal, equivalent to 20% of all maritime exported
labour safety and ecological protection. coal exports in Russia and around 30% of coal transshipment
The new units are similar to those operating at the via the ports of Russia’s Far East Basin.
company’s existing coal terminal, although have been subject The Phase 3 development includes the construction of
to technological upgrading by the Japanese manufacturers, entirely new rail infrastructure.
following consultations with the Russian purchasers. The terminal extension will become fully operational later
According to Anatoly Lazarev, Managing Director of this year, when capacity will be boosted to 39mt, which
Vostochny Port JSC, the latest generation of shiploaders should be met by 2019. The majority of the coal will be
incorporate an improvement of the dust suppression water delivered from the Kuzbass field. Barry Cross

Bergé expands Santander agribulk storage facilities

Spanish terminal operating company Bergé has expanding its warehousing capacity for dry bulks at the northern port of Santander.
The new facilities, which are on the outskirts of the port, are aimed at improving storage of agribulk. Enhanced handling equipment
has also been acquired.
In total, 3,500m2 of new warehousing has been brought on line, capable of storing up to 12,000 tonnes of dry bulk, particularly
cereals and flour.
In May, Bergé is also due to make operational a new nine-metre high hopper that has a 250-tonne capacity, which will also be used
in the handling of grains and flour. Dust suppression features have been built into this new equipment such as a new flex-flap, upper
enhancement protection, side walls and slatted curtains, all of which will improve environmental standards.
Although a major player in the Spanish market, in 2016, at Santander, Bergé handled around 900,000 tonnes of general cargo and
dry bulk. Of this, agribulk accounted for just 180,000 tonnes, which in turn was about half the total for the port as a whole. BC

Jewo bulk-ships stainless steel via Rotterdam

In early May, for the first time in many years, Jewometaal Stainless Processing
B.V., part of the German ELG Haniel Group, started shipping scrap material
to the Far East in bulk again rather than by container. “We always look for
the best way to ship our cargoes. This is now the best solution.”
After 15 years, Jewo is once again opting for a bulk carrier to ship cargo
to the Far East. One reason is the high container price. “Choosing bulk
carriers means that cargo stakeholders have a good way to ship their scrap
flows again,” says Jewometaal Operations Manager Eric Oosterom.

SCRAP TO THE FAR EAST

“We do ship a great deal of bulk cargo, but mainly within Europe. Ships
aren’t queuing up to carry scrap to the Far East.” Nevertheless, Jewo saw Chipolbrok and Sinepol Shipping and Agency as the
ideal parties to organize a scheduled service to the Far East. “We are very happy with this solution,” Oosterom says.

MORE CARGO VIA ROTTERDAM

In this way, Jewo and Chipolbrok aim to make more frequent shipments between Rotterdam and Asia. “We are very happy with
MAY 2017

this option for now,” Oosterom says. “But we cannot see into the future.” Oosterom is most impressed by the solution-
oriented attitude of shippers, shipping companies and consignees: “Together, we are flexible. And in that way, we can realize
shared goals.”
DCi

20
The FrENCH PORT
for dry bulk

+33 (0)3 28 28 77 20

[email protected]
NEWS
NK TEHNOLOGIJA offers solutions for bulk
Integrated solution for grain handling
(Klaipeda, Lithuania).
PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

Baltic Sea ports operate in tough and ever-changing conditions influenced by both market and political aspects. This is particularly true
for port terminals specializing in bulk handling operations.
Cyclic operation equipment provides reliable capacity and, above all, versatility for terminals. Indeed, having the necessary
technological equipment on hand makes it possible to handle any type of cargo, packaged or bulk. However, the efficiency of handling
MAY 2017

Assembly of 2,000tph coal shiploader

designed and delivered by NK
DCi TEHNOLOGIJA in Riga, Latvia.

22
 NEWS
cargo handling in Baltic Sea ports
bulk cargoes using
In the past 2.5
cranes is low, in terms
years, 2.5 million
of costs per tonne
tonnes of bulk cargo

PORTS & TERMINALS

handled.
has been handled
NK
by two tilting
TEHNOLOGIJA has
spreaders in the
implemented several
Port of Ust-Luga,
original solutions for
Russia.
creating port
terminals based on
the terminals
currently being built
and already existing
ones, equipping those
with cross-functional
technological equipment.
One of the projects was designed for a general-purpose terminal in Riga, Latvia. A rail wagon tippler and
a shiploader were integrated into bulk handling technology. At the same time, eight gantry cranes are
located on berth, and are used for both loading and unloading purposes. Within the first development
stage, a 2,000tph
(tonnes per
hour) shiploader
with a tripper
car for coal
handling,
designed and
assembled by
NK
TEHNOLOGIJA,
has been
delivered. A rail
wagon tippler
and cranes will be integrated into this
unified system shortly afterwards.
Another example of such development
solutions was designed for a general-
purpose berth in port of Klaipeda,
Lithuania, where the berth was equipped
with gantry cranes and a 750tph shiploader
travelling on rails. NK TEHNOLOGIJA just
completed a project to refurbish a
shiploader and, most importantly,
broadened the scope of the shiploader
operations by designing and carrying out a
solution for grain intake directly from
trucks.
Meanwhile, a container handling
terminal in port of Ust-Luga, Russia, was
equipped with an option for receiving
fertilizers from hopper cars. Cargo
received is being stored in 20ft containers
until the next bulk cargo vessel arrives.
NK TEHNOLOGIJA designed and
delivered a unique tilting spreader, device
for grabbing, tilting and unloading these
containers directly into the ship hold. This
technology has been integrated and has
been in operation for more than two and
half years with a total of 2.5 million tonnes
handled so far.
NEWS
Port of Stockton appoints new advertising agency
The Port of Stockton has selected Ivie Communications, LLC, to manage its customer-related marketing communications.
“One of the reasons we chose Ivie Communications is because they have 35 years in the transportation and logistics industries.
Their strategic thinking and outstanding creative work fits right into our needs as we continue to grow our business,” said Pete
Grossgart, marketing manager for the Port of Stockton. “They will be managing our customer-related advertising, media planning,
PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

public relations, strategic marketing plans, trade show booth, print materials, direct marketing and the creation of original photography
and illustration.”
“We are honoured to add the Port of Stockton to our growing list of clients. They have such an interesting book of business and
service offerings that are unique to their industry.” said Jill Ivie, president of Ivie Communications. “We have a history of serving
clients from all types of industries across the globe, including high tech, consumer goods and logistics and transportation. Our 35
years worth of experience specific to the transportation and logistics industries includes working with ocean carriers, stevedores, rail
service providers, intermodal marketing companies, drayage, warehousing, container leasing, ship management, cargo and container
surveying and technology. We create communications for our clients that acknowledge and speak to the needs of their customers
rather than just doing a bullet list of services and data specifics. Ivie Communications targets markets that matter with messages that
count.”
Ivie continued, “I have the unique experience of sitting on the client’s side of the desk. I managed global marketing communications
activities for a multi-billion-dollar international company, APL. I have a keen sense of what kind of issues my clients are up against both
internally and externally, and part of our job is to make their lives easier, help them succeed and make them be a hero in their own
company.”
The Port of Stockton is an inland port facility conveniently located in the extended San Francisco Bay Area that has handled cargo
since 1933. It offers 7.7 million square feet of warehouse, storage and handling facilities for both dry and liquid bulk materials, and
equipment to handle break-bulk and containerized cargoes by land and sea. The channel has a depth of up to 40 feet that can
accommodate Panamax-sized ships up to 80,000 class. It has 7.7 million square feet of warehousing space.
Ivie Communications, LLC, is a Half Moon Bay, California-based advertising agency. The company was founded in 1996 to provide
strategic marketing plans, brand management, research, identity, public relations, advertising and media planning, direct mail, social
media management, photography, illustration and websites and can serve as an out-sourced marketing communications department.
The company has provided services to multiple industries across the globe including high tech, logistics and transportation, travel,
telecommunications, non-profit, construction and building supplies, human resources, health care, manufacturing, environmental,
education, consumer goods, financial products and tourism.

TPP seeks solace in coal

An expansion of generating output by the CFE coal-fired exports has also dropped dramatically: from $363.5 billion in
power station close to the Mexican Pacific port of Lázaro 2013 to $820 million in 2016.
Cárdenas could throw a lifeline to Pacific Port Terminals The downturn in Chinese demand has also been a factor.
(TPP), which has struggled to In 2006-2016, exports of iron
attract significant flows of ore to that country accounted
iron ore since it was for 89% of the total, when the
established in 2013. price was $120/tonne. That
In that year, it handled subsequently collapsed to just
3.6mt (million tonnes) of $40/tonne, but is currently
exports, of which the around $80/tonne.
majority was shipped to Given the dramatic loss of
China. Traffic for that year iron ore traffic, TPP has sought
was significantly higher than alternatives, involving the
the forecast 600,000 tonnes. handling of some recent
However, the government consignments of steel, urea
detected the presence of and minerals. Nevertheless,
organized crime in the for the most part, TPP’s
industry and therefore imposed major restrictions as of April infrastructure has remained relatively idle.
2014, which hit the states of Michoacán and Colima especially At present, the CFE power plant is supplied by Carbonser,
hard. In that year, these were responsible for 29.4% and whose terminal in the port ships up to 20,000 tonnes daily to
15.6% respectively of the national output of iron ore, which the facility. However, TPP has revealed that up to 1.3mt of
amounted to 24.4mt, equivalent to a 9.1% drop on the additional coal will now be required by the plant, much of
previous year’s total. which Carbonser will not be able to accommodate. The
MAY 2017

Subsequently, the situation regarding iron ore exports has surplus will therefore switch to TPP.
notably declined. From a peak of 10mt in 2013, just 41,440 However, existing infrastructure at the terminal is having to
tonnes were shipped last year. The concomitant value of be rebuilt, so the impact will not be immediate. BC
DCi

24
 Spare a thought

PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

for the port agent

Often overlooked, port agents are the small army of people with developing technology to streamline their working day. Other,
an encyclopaedic knowledge of their local ports and the higher profile sectors are swamped with technology options –
surrounding hinterland. They provide the glue that binds the carriers, port authorities, cargo interests to name just a few are
ship with the port and they deliver the vital services required to well supplied with software houses seeking to make their
make a port call both efficient workable. operations more efficient.
According to FONASBA, the association for port agents,
more than 130 different port-related tasks are regularly IGNORED NO LONGER
undertaken by agents — and this doesn’t include the actions So why has the port agent been ignored? The answer is
involved in planning a call, or those required to be followed-up probably because the agency sector is highly fragmented. A
once the ships has departed. As a maritime ‘fixer’, they’re called handful of large, regional or global companies dominate this
upon to book the berth, arrange cargo operations, facilitate crew space but the majority of activities are carried out by small
changes, supply victuals plus the many other activities required agencies serving just a few — or even a single — port. Often,
by a modern ship in port. The wide and complex variety of they operate on very thin margins and so are thought to be too
tasks demand an agent to maintain relationships with a great insignificant to bother with.
many parties and gather, store, collate and regurgitate huge But that’s not just short-sighted, it also shows that software
amounts of information. houses are missing an important trick. Because agents must
At the same time, they need to track progress for the many juggle significant amounts of information, maintain relationships
ships they are currently looking after, account for all expenditure with a variety of partners and outstations, and they often
and remember to re-bill their clients before cashflow dries up. conduct their business whilst on the move, a technical solution is
On top of all this, agents are constantly on the lookout for new ripe for development.
MAY 2017

business and must produce comprehensive ‘offer’ documents for

owners to consider. CLOUD TECHNOLOGY
And because their vital role is often taken for granted, this Most smaller agencies are running their businesses from a
sector has largely been left to fend for itself when it comes to variety of unconnected spreadsheets, databases and even hard- DCi

25
PORTS, TERMINALS & LOGISTICS

copy notebooks. Softship — one of the world’s largest software

houses operating in the maritime space — has recently launched
Softship.SAPAS (Softship’s Advanced Port Agency Solution), a
web-based tool optimized for PCs, tablets and smartphones. It
uses cloud technology ensuring all data is stored securely but
available through any internet connection — perfect for those
regularly on the move.
Softship.SAPAS does away with the paper and spreadsheets
and, importantly, eliminates the re-keying and constant
transferring of information from one medium to another. It
operates from a core database that is flexible and which contains
pre-loaded data (such as location information) alongside an
agent’s proprietary information that is re-used throughout the
system.
Port tariffs form a large part of the cost of
a port call but can be extremely complex.
Sometimes they are applied as a lump sum and
sometimes as an amount per DWT, GRT, NRT,
or a more complicated calculation.
Softship.SAPAS allows simple and complex
tariff structures to be captured, stored and re-
used including different rates for different
cargo and/or vessel types. Once a tariff has
been registered in the system, it is
automatically ‘looked-up’ when required.

WINNING AND SERVICING NEW BUSINESS

Typically, an agent will be competing for new
business whilst working on existing accounts.
Owners require the production of
comprehensive ‘offers’ from an agent to give a
clear estimate of the likely cost of the port call. This is a time- created and re-used.
consuming activity but can be streamlined by re-using The heart of the system is its port call facility — this is
information already stored. Softship.SAPAS will take owner, where Softship.SAPAS manages the range of activities required
charterer, vessel and port information and marry it with cost when the ship is in port. This includes actions relating to the
items such as pilotage, berthing and towage to generate an vessel itself, crew, suppliers, port authorities, customers and
‘offer’. more. If required, a Statement of Facts is generated and emailed
Currencies can be automatically converted and aligned with to the client, and can be used by the agent to ensure all activities
an owner’s requirements and tariffs imported. Once complete, are completed on time — reminders and priorities can be set.
the “offer” is then generated by an inbuilt report writer which
allows the agent to create a customized and professional KEEPING TRACK OF COSTS
looking document to send to the client. Templates can be Given the complexity of operations in port and tight operating
margins, the careful control of accounts is critical to the success
Lars Fischer is of every ship agency business. As such, a core feature of
Managing Director Softship.SAPAS is the handling of all disbursement payments,
of German shipping allowing agents to maintain complete oversight of payments and
IT provider Softship accounts received, with notifications and warnings to help them
Data Processing keep track. Once all final costs are known after the successful
Ltd, Singapore, a completion of a port call, the system will generate a final
wholly owned disbursement account and automatically attach all supplier
subsidiary of invoices. When complete, the agent will ‘lock’ the account and
Softship AG, the create a final report for the client.
leading provider of Mindful of the tough economic environment currently facing
software solutions to agents, Softship.SAPAS is offered on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis
the international requiring zero upfront investment. Similarly, it is open to as
shipping sector. many agents needed within a single company, for no additional
fee.
Long overdue but no longer ignored, the port agency sector
is now able to reap the many benefits delivered by modern IT
MAY 2017

systems and software. It’s important to protect and nurture this

vital link in the maritime supply chain as without our army of
agents, ships and ports would not enjoy the same easy
DCi relationship they have today. DCi

26
 Scandinavian synopsis

REGIONAL REPORT
Port of Pori. dry bulk activity on the peninsula

Barry Cross

Oslo, Pori and Grenaa retain position as important Scandinavian dry bulk ports
The Norwegian Port of Oslo handled 1.8mt (million tonnes) of of facilities there to bring in raw materials and to ensure they
dry bulk in 2016, which was an increase of 10.3% over 2015. have a base in the city.
According to Carl Johan Hatteland, the port’s business “There is also a considerable move within the construction
development advisor, a large part of the growth came from industry towards a ‘green shift’. From an industry perspective,
increased construction activity in and around Oslo, driving up this makes it legitimate to invest in very space efficient facilities.
volumes of the raw materials needed for the production of such However, this is also somewhat controversial, since it puts into
commodities as concrete and asphalt. question what activities should be in ports. Space in ports is
“The port’s main dry bulk commodities are salt, grain, limited, although in Oslo there is capacity for further growth as
cement, various grades of gravel (used to make concrete, asphalt areas of the port are restructured.”
and other construction works), scrap and RDF,” says Hatteland. Asked about external restraints on the handling of dry bulk
Inbound consignments for hinterland use arrive by sea, while commodities, Hatteland notes that environmental legislation —
some dry bulk does also come into the port by road for and the ambitions behind it — is, in fact, a main driver for
despatch by vessel. growth, but the kind of activity and products related to the
Dry bulk vessels vary from 120,00dwt to 10,000dwt. Size is construction industry are not always easy to handle in respect of
relatively stable, serving the same main customers and end user how they look, the noise generated whilst handling them, and
segments. also dust issues, even when these fall within what legislation and
Hatteland explains that the port is pulling out of certain regulation requires.
existing areas, which will instead be used for urban development. “Inevitably, there are issues with ‘not in my back yard’ from
MAY 2017

At the same time, as the city grows, more and more raw local residents,” he says.
materials are being brought in by sea. Those companies active in Despite this, around 50–60% of concrete supplied to the
the construction industry are therefore very keen to establish Oslo market comes from the port, based on raw materials
themselves in the port, both to allow them to increase their use supplied by sea. In addition, 15–20% of the asphalt is also made DCi

27
REGIONAL REPORT

in the port.
Indeed,
Hatteland
suggests that,
“There is
considerable
scope for
increased market
share in asphalt.”
As for other
added value, salt
is also bagged,
while there are
several initiatives
to sort and
process
construction and Handling coal at the Port of Pori.
bio-waste to
increase reuse/circulation of materials through adding/purifying and the other of 450 metres, where maximum draught is
value. Again, the ‘green shift’ is predominantly a driver behind available. Currently, the port authority is looking for potential
port growth and for greater use of sea transport. new clients to operate at the shorter and shallower berth, which
Finally, in respect of 2017, he predicts that there will not be he says is extremely suitable for all types of cargo, including dry
much further growth in the dry bulk sector, but there are bulk.
underlying drivers to ensure substantial growth over the next The Danish Port of Grenaa has decided that its future
few years. strategy should be to concentrate more on what it is good at.
In 2016, the Finnish Port of Pori reported dry bulk traffic “We should not just grow; we need to grow by doing more
down around 150,000 tonnes to 1.2mt. According to of what we’re really good at,” said Henrik Carstensen, CEO at
spokesperson Pekka Friman, the port authority is not expecting Port of Grenaa, summoning up the new policy. “We need to
any dramatic changes in tonnage handled during the current decide: What are we good at? What do we want to achieve?
year. And what do we need to do to achieve it?”
Pori mainly handles coal, which saw a drop of approximately The strategy aims to secure the port’s position as one of the
10% last year. ten most important ports in Denmark by 2020. By enhancing
Consignments on the landside are moved by both road and focus, Carstensen hopes the Port of Grenaa’s plan will ensure
rail, but not inland waterway, since the port does not have a constant development and growth up until the end of the
connection. Coal, while mostly moved by conveyor, is also decade.
shifted by road haulage vehicles and shovel loaders. “The port should not just grow, but should manage that
Vessels transporting shipments can vary between 4,000dwt growth by focusing on the unique strengths we have, and use
and 170,000dwt. them offensively in our efforts to cement the Port of Grenaa’s
Friman notes that changes have had to be made to position as one of Denmark’s biggest commercial and industrial
operations in recent years because of environmental legislation, ports,” reiterated Carstensen. “We already have a comfortable
which has meant that dust emissions have had to be controlled. position in the top ten. The port’s accounts for 2015 showed a
No added value is undertaken on the coal whilst it is in the profit, and our financial forecast for 2016 looks very good. We
port. need to exploit that position by doing more of what we’re good
Coal handling at the port takes place at the Tahkoluoto deep- at, and let others do what they’re good at. We need to dare to
water harbour, where draught of up to 15.3 metres means that be selective.”
Capesize vessels can be accommodated. A shiploader which has The change of direction comes at a time when competition
a capacity of up to 1,200tph (tonnes per hour) is available; this among Danish ports is increasing, at the same time as many of
mainly handles ferrous sulphate, and Ferrix. In addition, the them implement structural changes. Many of those close to city
portal cranes can discharge consignments at approximately centres are increasingly designating some areas as residential and
2,000tph, although these figures depend on the type of goods. In recreational. That, in turn, places some very restrictive
addition, the deep-water harbour is well-equipped for bulk environmental limitations on the activities that can be conducted
goods transshipment operations, too. within a port.
The quay is 450 metres in length, with one 40-tonne and one Nevertheless, this is not necessarily the case at Grenaa, which
32-tonne crane deployed. These are used for coal and ilmenite is a dedicated industrial port whose location in relation to
loading and unloading. neighbouring residential areas means it has excellent potential to
A total of 9,500m2 of warehousing facilities is also provided, increase its activities without bothering its neighbours. That’s a
while a 5km-long overland conveyor moves coal on the quay to position it intends to exploit by attracting activities that are
the adjacent Fortum Power and Heat Ltd’s power plant. dependent on plenty of space and less stringent environmental
Friman explains that Fortum is not the only client handling criteria, particularly those concerning dust and noise. In
MAY 2017

coal in the port. SSAB also manages some transhipment addition, the port has other, unique advantages in the form of
consignments of this commodity, he says. deep waters and close proximity to the sailing routes of the
In fact, Tahkoluoto harbour is divided into two separate Kattegat.
DCi berths: one of 140 metres, with 10 metres of draught alongside, “Overall, these factors give us a number of unique

28
REGIONAL REPORT

competitive advantages that must be promoted to attract new This will enable around 20,000 tonnes of additional scrap metal
customers and partners with a specific need for the options and to be exported.
services that the Port of Grenaa can offer. We must target The plant, which opened at the end of 2016, incorporates a
customers and partners able to make use of the areas in which new shredder for fine shredding and sorting metal scrap. This, in
we are already strong, have experience and the facilities turn, will boost the amount of waste that can be recycled. Now,
required,” noted Carstensen. just 10% of the scrap received is sent for incineration in power
Dry bulk is certainly one of these areas. plants.
The port has significant trade in grain and foodstuffs, The rest of Stena Recycling’s metal mountain in the Port of
woodchip and pellets, sand and gravel, road salt, feed salt and Grenaa is now sorted into different metals after shredding.
lime, and scrap metal. To handle these, the various operators These can be iron, aluminium, stainless steel, copper and so on,
have acquired specialist cranes, while both covered and which are required for recycling in countries such as Sweden
uncovered stockpile areas are available. and Turkey.
The various warehouses are located close to the quay and Stena Recycling’s COO Mette Boysen explained that recycling
have either solid concrete floors or concrete paving, with lighting metal saves enormous resources and CO2, which is why it is
in every warehouse. The automatic electric doors are also worth investing large amounts in extracting higher percentages
lockable, while inside there are no pillars, so the whole area can of metal for recycling when sorting.
be used for storage. Several of the insulated warehouses can The putting into operation of the new plant, which occupies a
also be heated. The size of facility ranges from 750m2 to 1,500m2 facility, took around three years to complete.
2,000m2, totalling 24,000m2, with the two large facilities given This facility will perform extra fine sorting of the material left
over completely to dry bulk. when crushed metal scrap has been through the first station,
The port also offers value-added services for bulk shipments. which is where pure metal pieces are extracted. The residual
These include weighing, sample-taking, bagging up and drying material — known as SLF — represents around 20% of the
facilities, and Big Bag handling. scrap processed. SLF, which consists of plastic, rubber, textiles
“These special competences and strengths must be promoted and so on, used to be dumped. But thanks to the new plant,
more widely and weight more heavily for the Port of Grenaa’s more revenue can be generated by fine-sorting SLF and recycling
market position,” noted Carstensen. the metal component it still contains.
One of the main infrastructure investments that will directly “The objective is to ... [eventually] recycle almost 100% of a
benefit the landside movement of dry bulk shipments is the new scrapped car. There’s a lot of potential, for instance, in recycling
bypass, which is being built to the north of Grenaa. This will plastic waste, and the general global environmental trend is
take heavy traffic from the north around the town and directly towards as little dumping as possible by recycling as much as
into the port, where facilities for loading and unloading are possible, or converting it to energy,” noted Boysen. “But in many
excellent. instances — such as recycling plastic — the calculations involved
“We will be the envy of many other ports. This is yet are very complex. It’s not only the technological options that
another advantage at a time when other port towns are laying are important. We always have to consider the financial aspects,
down restrictions for heavy traffic and are struggling with where global mineral prices come into play, as they are
gridlock in their town centres,” Carstensen suggested. important to those industries that reuse metal, plastic and so on.”
Significantly, new sorting facilities for metal scrap are The existing Stena Recycling plant at the port used to handle
increasing activities at the Port of Grenaa, where investment of 260,000 tonnes of scrap, which will now be increased to 280,000
$8.8 million has been made by Stena Recycling in a new plant. tonnes.

The industrial Port of Grenaa

is ideally situated where it
does not bother neighbours.
MAY 2017

DCi

30
 REGIONAL REPORT
Port of Inkoo handles 1.5 million tonnes of dry bulk a year
The Port of Inkoo
in Finland is a
privately owned
public commercial
port that offers
services for vessels
in addition to
clearance and
forwarding services.
There is plenty of
both outdoor and
indoor storage
space and two
weighbridges in the
area. Service at the
Port of Inkoo is
flexible and
responsible,
whether the visiting
vessel is big or
small. The port can
receive even
Panamax-size
vessels as the
maximum draught of the channel is 13 metres. materials and it is the largest port in Finland to handle various
raw minerals and mineral aggregates.
ENHANCING ITS CLIENTS’ BUSINESS The annual tramp shipments of the port add up to around
The port is located in scenic lnkoo, in the bay of Fagervik. Good 1.5 million tonnes, half of which are re-handled at the terminal.
road connections guarantee quick transportation of cargo. The The port area covers 107 hectares of which around 35 hectares
distance to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is only approximately are currently in use. A cold storage space of approximately
60km by road. 10,000m2 is built on a fenced seven-hectare storage area in the
The Port of lnkoo is a winter port, which means that it is immediate vicinity of the port.
open all year round. Ice conditions are easy during an average In the future, the Port of Inkoo plans to focus more on the
winter, and the fairway is open almost throughout the year. If handling of biofuels.
necessary, icebreaking is arranged with the help of a partner.
The competitiveness of the port is based on its cargo storage COMPREHENSIVE LOGISTIC
and handling possibilities, long-term experience with dry bulk The Port of Inkoo develops and implements multifaceted
handling and the geographical location of the port within good transportation solutions its customers' shipments. Its extensive
maritime and road connections. experience in clearance, good location and continuous
co-operation with other actors in the port provides many
DRY BULK benefits for visiting vessels. The port uses the Wellamo Data
The Port of Inkoo is specialized in handling and storing dry bulk WD.Port-computer system as its operational control system.
MAY 2017

DCi

31
REGIONAL REPORT

VERSATILE EQUIPMENT
The port has two ro-ro ramps, one 17m-
wide stern/bow ramp at the end of the
basin and one 8m-wide side ramp. The
port is equipped with four 10-tonne cranes
on rails, one 20-tonne crane on rails and
tracked multipurpose cranes designed for
handling especially timber, logs and unitized
cargoes. In addition, the port has front
loaders, trimming machines, forklifts and a
full-length weighbridge. If needed the port
arranges icebreaking.

MEETING REGULATIONS
The port follows the recommendations and
regulations stated by the Baltic Marine
Environment Protection Commission that
concern the prevention of pollution of the
sea. As the port mainly handles different
types of bulk materials, the environmental policy of the port is VISITING THE PORT OF INKOO
focused on minimizing dusting, decreasing and proper handling of The Port of Inkoo offers versatile services for its customers. In
cargo residues and waste, and controlling noise problems. The practice, the port and vessel services include all the practicalities
port has a waste management plan and directives. All discharge that promote the mobility, maintenance and cargo traffic of the
into the sea is prohibited in the port area and solid waste must vessels as well as communication with partners.
be sorted. The waste collection point for vessels is situated Each vessel receives its own ship agent through whom
opposite to the harbour basin. services are taken care of promptly and easily. For example
mooring and unmooring of the
vessel is to be ordered in advance
through the agent. Towing must be
ordered at least three hours
beforehand.
During the winter months. the
icebreakers of Arctia Shipping assist
the vessels from the sea to the
port area and vice versa within the
prevailing ice limitations.
The port delivers potable water
and also electricity (380/220V
50Hz) to the vessels in the port
MAY 2017

area. Should a vessel be in need of

maintenance or repair, maintenance
companies operating in the area
DCi can be contacted by the agent.

32
 REGIONAL REPORT
NORDEN’s fleet increases its fuel mileages significantly
NORDEN’S FLEET HAS INCREASED ITS FUEL
MILEAGE SIGNIFICANTLY
On 1 January 2013, NORDEN set up a specific
department with the task of increasing the fleet’s
fuel efficiency, and this has had a large effect.
Fuel costs made up about 60% of voyage costs,
when NORDEN in 2012 decided to set up a
specific department with the task of increasing
vessels’ fuel efficiency and thereby contributing to
economic optimization of voyages — regardless
of whether these voyages are undertaken by
owned vessels, long-term chartered vessels or on
vessels chartered for a single or just a few trips.
Since then, oil prices have dropped significantly
meaning that today fuel make up approximately
45% of voyage costs. However, there are still
large sums of money to be saved primarily by
ensuring that the propellers are polished and that
the hull is free from fouling, and by ensuring that
vessels travel at the optimum speed.
In addition, it is NORDEN’s overall objective
to contribute to more efficient and sustainable
global trade and thereby increased global
prosperity.

TOTAL SAVINGS: US$24.9 MILLION

NORDEN’s special team working with fuel
efficiency saw the light of day on 1 January 2013.
The first year was spent on establishing the
monitoring of all vessels — read a description of
the monitoring system in separate article — and
the results are remarkable. During the years
2014, 2015 and 2016, the owned and chartered
dry cargo vessels and product tankers in
NORDEN’s fleet have altogether reduced their fuel costs by He points out that the increased fuel efficiency has even been
U$24.9 million — and they have done this entirely by utilizing achieved during a period of years when NORDEN’s fleet on
the fuel more efficiently. average has aged. Generally, vessels become thirstier with age,
If the current efficiency level continues unchanged, total and it requires greater efforts to do something about it.
annual savings on the fuel account this year and the coming This is how savings are achieved:
years will be US$16.5 million – a cost reduction which will have v better painting of vessels
a direct impact on the bottom line. v systematic propeller polishing
v cleaning of hull
OWNED VESSELS MOST EFFICIENT v more focus on bunker cheating
Peter Sinding, who heads up the Fuel Efficiency team, explains
that the largest savings have been achieved on NORDEN’s EVERYONE MUST WORK TOWARDS SAME GOAL
owned vessels. At the end of 2016, they were 10% more efficient The first condition for achieving savings on fuel consumption is
compared to 3 years earlier. In terms of the long-term chartered that the fuel efficiency team receives a correct impression of the
vessels, efficiency had been increased by 5.4%, while the short- vessel’s current efficiency level — i.e. before taking action, if at
term chartered vessels had increased their fuel utilisation by all. It is not a simple task to determine the efficiency of a vessel,
1.3%. because vessels are subject to conditions that change all the
At the end of 2016, NORDEN’s fleet was made up of 236 time — i.e. speed, draught and weather conditions, which all
dry cargo vessels and product tankers — 37.5 owned, 66.5 long- affect the vessels’ consumption considerably.
term chartered and 132 short-term chartered. “Maybe that is exactly why there is something to achieve and
”The large difference in fuel efficiency is due to the fact that the possibility of a commercial advantage,” says Head of Fuel
the more power we have of a vessel — and if we own it, we Efficiency, Peter Sinding.
have the full right of disposal — the more influence we have on
how efficiently it is run. This is especially the case when we talk SHARING AND APPLICATION OF DATA
MAY 2017

about technical measures such as vessel paint, propeller polishing The next condition for achieving savings is that the collected
and hull cleaning. Planned measures are always assessed in data is also being used by the charterers and the operators in
comparison to the expected fuel price, so that we know that NORDEN and Norient Product Pool (NPP), which is in charge
financially they make sense,” says Peter Sinding. of the commercial and operational performance of NORDEN’s DCi

33
REGIONAL REPORT

product tankers, and by the colleagues in the Technical consists of three elements:
Department and in Asset Management, the latter being the v a so-called propulsion module, which makes it possible to
department that buys and charters vessels for NORDEN. continuously measure the efficiency of vessels;
This has required a lot of meetings and many discussions on v a set of traffic lights with green, yellow and red lights, which
which data is relevant in order to carry out the work of distributes data and identifies where actions are required; and
reducing fuel consumption as effectively as possible. v seven monthly meetings between Fuel Efficiency, the
”Finally — and maybe most importantly of all — our work in chartering and operations departments in NORDEN/NPP
Fuel Efficiency depends on the fact that everyone in NORDEN and the Technical Department
and NPP participates actively in the work and refrain from
suboptimizing on their own area. It is no good if the Technical FUTURE MEASURES
Department buys bottom paint of a low quality to minimize the So far, fuel efficiency improvements have primarily been achieved
immediate operating costs, if the vessel then does not glide as through increased hull and propeller effectiveness. Going
well through the water and increases its fuel consumption. It is forward, NORDEN expects large savings especially in two areas
no use either if a charterer or an operator avoids having the hull achieved through future projects:
cleaned or the propeller polished on his or her voyage. This v better tools for the selection of vessels for short-term
may increase earnings on this voyage, but the next will then be charter; and
more expensive, as it will require more fuel. Fortunately, it is my v a reduction of the use of the auxiliary engine at sea and in
impression that we are all now good at working towards a port
shared goal: voyages that are as fuel efficient as possible,” says
Peter Sinding. NORDEN’s Dry Cargo business has decided to increase its
operator activities, whereby cargoes are combined with available
OWN SET OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS vessels in the market for a single or just a few trips. It is
In order to measure data, share data and take action on data therefore important to select fuel efficient vessels also for short-
that requires action, Fuel Efficiency has made a set-up which term chartering.

NORDEN’s port captains play a key role

To NORDEN, it is not only a matter of transporting cargoes
MAIN COMPETENCES OF NORDEN PORT CAPTAINS
from A to B, but also contributing to the entire value chain.
NORDEN has a broad approach to customer service which v former employment as captains
goes beyond transporting cargoes from A to B. NORDEN is v professional sparring partners
also involved in optimizing local logistics and infrastructure and, v flexible problem solvers
in doing so, part of reducing transport costs for the customers v understanding of and experience across cultures
and the local society. v good at establishing close relationships to customers
This approach to customer service is well in tune with v experts in cargo hold cleaning
NORDEN’s target to contribute to more efficient and v optimization of loading capacity and, thus, earnings
sustainable world trade and, thus, increased global wealth. In this v creation of new business through customer assistance
respect, it is essential that NORDEN has offices and employees
worldwide and is therefore able to combine substantial
customer knowledge with local presence and local expertise. connection with planning the port operations may very well lead
A key role is played by port captains at NORDEN’s overseas to substantial time loss and considerable extra costs for all
offices who — with their local knowledge and relations to parties. He therefore always aims at being involved as early as
NORDEN’s customers and other business partners, to local possible in the planning process.
authorities, to port agents, to port workers, etc. — are able to
co-ordinate a port call from beginning to end in co-operation LOGISTICS OPTIMIZATION
with operators on shore and the captain at sea. And they do The port captains’ job is not only to protect NORDEN’s
this, regardless of the task or problem at hand, be it cargo hold interests in an optimal port call.
cleaning, documents, defective loading and discharging
equipment, wrong port bookings, cultural differences and Port Captain
barriers or something else completely or unexpectedly. Claus B. Jensen.

IT SIGNALS RESPECT
”When NORDEN engages a port captain in a given port
operation, it signals respect for the transportation task which
the customer has entrusted us with, and it stresses our
seriousness in solving the task in an optimal and professional
way. A port captain’s physical presence provides the best
conditions for it being possible to immediately solve any
problems that may arise during the port operation, which is very
MAY 2017

beneficial to all parties involved,” says Port Captain Claus B.

Jensen.
He is one of NORDEN’s three port captains in the USA, and
DCi it is his experience that mistakes and/or misunderstandings in

34
 REGIONAL REPORT
“Their job is also to look after the interests TEN PORT CAPTAINS
of the consignor, consignee and port terminals NORDEN has a total of nine permanent port
in order for them to best optimize their captains: three in the USA (Jan Andersen, Jacob
logistics after the vessel has arrived and in Angelbo Christensen and Claus B. Jensen), one
connection with the cargo delivery to the end in Singapore (Søren Retz Johansson), one in
customer on land,” says head of Dry Cargo Africa (Samuel Quansah), two in China
Operations at NORDEN’s office in Singapore, (Radmund Lu and Eko Zheng), one in India
Senior Operations Manager Stephan Korsgaard. (Bhaswar Purkayastha) and one in Norway,
Head of Dry Cargo Operations at Svalbard (Lars Lundegaard). It also has Port
NORDEN’s office in Annapolis, USA, Senior Captain Jim Jara in the Philippines.
Operations Manager Ivan Santos, believes that it
simply brings NORDEN’s customers peace of In 2016, NORDEN entered into its largest
mind to know that there is a port captain cargo contract so far, which means that
physically on board a vessel about to load or NORDEN will transport a total of 20–24
discharge commodities on their behalf. This is million tonnes of coal from Indonesian mines
also the case even though the port captain may to a new and modern power plant in the
only follow the operations at a distance by Philippines during the next ten years. This
means of telephone/text/email. Port Captain Søren Retz power plant is owned and operated by the
Johansson. Philippine power company GNPower Mariveles
USED AS LOCAL EXPERT Coal Plant Ltd. Co. (called GNPower). The coal
”The customers use us as a local expert making is delivered by alternating vessels, but
their everyday easier. Many of our customers do not have any regardless of the vessel, it is always NORDEN’s port captain, Jim
shipping experience, and loading/discharging operations are an Jara, who will meet the vessel and coordinate discharge.
unknown world to them. When NORDEN provides this extra “NORDEN’s port captain provides GNPower with excellent
service in the form of port captains, it is very positively received. services. With his vast experience, he contributes to the value
This is due to the fact that we often solve the problems before creation at GNPower. His knowledge and skills ensure us that
they escalate, which is often the case in developing countries. the vessels conduct docking and undocking of coal ships in our
Hellerup, Denmark or Singapore can be far away from the real jetty in a safe and efficient manner. He also gives much-needed
world in e.g. the Philippines,” says Port Captain Søren Retz advice, which is especially important during rough sea conditions
Johansson, Singapore. and inclement weather,” says Materials Handling Manager Almer
Santos believes that the value of the port captains is directly C. Domingo, GNPower, in a quote to NORDEN’s customer
linked to their experience at sea and their understanding of magazine NORDEN NEWS.
what takes place on board a vessel — that is from the boatswain He adds that Jara also serves as a communicative link
to the captain – and their understanding of how to optimize the between GNPower and NORDEN.
use of the vessel. And in relation to this, it is not only a matter
of knowing how to increase loading capacity and, in doing so, OPENS DOORS FOR MORE BUSINESS
earnings. Port captains must also know how to ensure smooth It was Port Captain Søren Retz Johansson in Singapore, who
co-operation on board. found and recruited the Filipino Jara to handle NORDEN’s
GNPower operations. Before the ten-year
250 YEARS OF MARITIME EXPERIENCE contract, NORDEN transported coal to the
NORDEN’s port captains together power plant for an Indonesian coal producer.
represent more than 250 years of maritime ”I travelled to the Philippines in 2014 and
experience. discovered that there was a great need for
“To this can be added that the port clear instructions to captains, pilots, tugboats,
captains know how to behave among people agents, stevedores, etc. I wrote customized
with very different cultural backgrounds. We mooring instructions, etc. and hired Jim Jara,
are also able to think outside of the box, and who is now NORDEN’s port captain on
this yields more flexibility,” says Port Captain location. He makes sure that all parties have
Claus B. Jensen. peace of mind during discharging operations,
and during monsoon season from July to
SPECIAL LOGISTICAL PROJECTS December, his presence, knowledge and
Santos points out that NORDEN’s port experience are particularly valuable. He and I
captains are not only used for loading and are in daily dialogue,” says Johansson.
discharging operations. He and Jara also solve tasks for NORDEN
“We also offer the assistance of our port in other parts of the Philippines.
captains to key customers when they have “For instance, we organize courses in safety
special logistical projects in which a port Port Captain Jim Jara. and optimisation in connection with coal
captain could be useful. This could be discharging operations, just as we optimize
guidance in connection with new loading and solutions in relation to other power plants
MAY 2017

discharging facilities or changes to existing terminals. If they with the purpose of obtaining a new long-term contract for
require assistance in solving very challenging maritime NORDEN. This creates goodwill and helps open doors for more
operations, a port captain can also assist in this,” says the head business in the Philippines, of which the major ten-year contract
of operations in Annapolis. with GNPower is a great example,” says Johansson. DCi DCi

35
Doing the common uncommonly well
!        
  
!      
!

    
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United Bulk Terminals USA Inc.
A Marquard & Bahls Company
") %% '  '+ ) %/ +) + ,#+ 
  (,*+('   

  
 [email protected] ...,'#+ ,%$+ )&#'%*(&
 Making good on the

REGIONAL REPORT
Mississippi
United Bulk Terminals specializes in the handling of coal and petroleum coke and offers a full suite
of ground-based service capabilities. Export product arrives via inland barge and is either
transferred directly to an ocean vessel or put to storage on a soil cement pad.

The company is also one of the few that can load Capesize vessels.
Earlier this year it loaded the Chevrier, the biggest ship ever in the river, according to
the Mississippi river pilots.

Jay Venter

United Bulk Terminals: flexible, efficient coal and petcoke handling on the
Mississippi River
United Bulk Terminals (the Dry Bulk Division of Marquard & UBT also offers Logistic Chain Management for ocean freight,
Bahls) owns and operates independent dry bulk terminals that inland barge services and trucking services.
offer material handling, storage, blending, screening, crushing, “In 2015 and 2016 UBT handled on average 7.5mt (million
washing and sampling. United Bulk Terminals (UBT) also provides tonnes) of product. We are expecting a decrease in volume of
in-refinery services such as sulphur and petcoke handling, approximately 5% for 2017 due to a reduction in coal
petroleum coke cutting, yard management and O&M of material shipments,” says Fredrik Knutsen, Commercial Manager, United
handling systems. Bulk Terminals USA Inc.
MAY 2017

UBT follows Marquard & Bahls’ strategy of controlled

growth. Benefiting from the global presence and international COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
diversity of the Marquard & Bahls group, it can follow its Even though the company has competition in the form of three
customers to new markets. other land-based terminal facilities in the Mississippi River, plus DCi

37
REGIONAL REPORT

UBT engineering at work, digging leg fabrication for barge unloader.

two mid-streaming operations, customers use its facilities conveyor belts and much more) in its main yard this year. This
because its land based terminal has the capability to unload will boost productivity and system availability, both of which are
barges at up to 6,000tph (tonnes per hour). important for its customers. A new conveyor belt has already
Unlike “midstream” operations, product being direct been added, to allow for simultaneous loading/unloading in one
transferred is sent via the dock system through magnetic of its yards. Next are the vessel loader and the barge unloader.
separators, and if the customer desires, can be mechanically Construction has already started for the latter and the vessel
sampled. The ability to offload and store dry bulk commodities loader will follow in the summer.
gives customers the flexibility to manage market timing and The company is also scrapping one of its stacker/reclaimers
product blending requirements. In addition, having significant that has been in service since 1984. It replaced its 1964
ground storage availability allows vessels to be unloaded and stacker/reclaimer in 2012.
reloaded quickly, minimizing port time and maximizing vessel To ensure a smooth design and construction process UBT
turns. developed an engineering team last year, comprising eight
“This enables the customers to build up their cargo inventory colleagues with vast mechanical, structural and electrical
without demurrage penalties, until it can fill their vessel of engineering expertise. The team also supports day-to-day
choice. It also gives trading houses the option to buy from operations, which is a strong selling point for its customers
various piles in UBT’s yard — something which is likewise when it comes to system sustainability and quality assurance.
appreciated by producers and traders.” explains Knutsen. UBT
does provide midstreaming operations for those customer which COMMODITIES/PRODUCTS HANDLED & SERVICES
want flexibility but do not require ground storage. UBT’s equipment is capable of handling the majority of dry bulk
The company is also one of the few that can load Capesize materials, but it traditionally concentrates on coal and petroleum
vessels. Earlier this year it loaded the Chevrier, the biggest ship coke.
ever in the river according to the Mississippi river pilots (see The company adds value to its services primarily by offering
photo on p29). blending and quality assurance services like sampling to its
“With our flexibility and efficiency we are competitive not customers, most of which, for instance, mid-streaming companies
only on process, but we are the shortest distance to the cannot provide. Moreover, its extraordinary storage capacity of
customer’s destination port.” up to 3.5mt plays a vital role in supply chain assurance for some
of the leading utility companies in the US.
OPERATING AREA FOR THE HANDLING OF DRY BULK Through its affiliate, United Ocean Chartering, it also
UBT controls an area of 1,200 acres of land, 300 of which are provides full logistics chain management, including the handling of
actively used for dry bulk. Due to a combination of reduction in trucks, inland and ocean-going vessels as well as the chartering
coal shipments and improved efficiencies, United Bulk Terminals of cargo ships in the US Gulf.
is aiming to reduce its coal and petcoke operating footprint to UBT has always catered to its customers’ needs, which
150 acres by the end of the year. The area will be re-opened if requires increasingly flexibility to customize products to
the demand returns. customers’ requirements, quality assurance, and supply chain
In the meantime UBT is looking at diversifying into other security.
commodities. With its advantageous location grain is one
commodity that is being pursued. PERFORMANCE TRACKING
In order to keep its productivity at optimum levels, Mr Knutsen
EQUIPMENT & UPGRADES explains that the company uses various defined key performance
UBT’s main equipment consists of two stacker/reclaimers, indicators (KPIs), like tonnes per hour (tph), equipment
multiple stackers, two barge unloaders, two vessel loaders and a availability (in minutes) and many more to measure and further
dock mounted gantry crane. improve productivity.
UBT is part of the Marquard & Bahls group, a Germany-based “Keeping in mind that we are one of the busiest terminals in
family-owned company characterized by a pioneering spirit and the region, our productivity certainly is competitive,” says
entrepreneurship. Over the decades, the company has grown Knutsen.
into one of the leading independent energy supply, trading and “The aforementioned major infrastructure upgrades will allow
logistics companies. For instance, its sister division, Oiltanking, is for further productivity gains later his year. For instance, our in-
MAY 2017

the second-largest independent operator of tank terminals for house engineering team has just finished designing a barge
oils, chemicals and gases worldwide. In this spirit of dewatering system tailor made to our needs. With this system
entrepreneurial foresight UBT has decided to upgrade all its we will be able to discharge barges at normal speed, even if
DCi major infrastructure components (vessel loader, barge unloader, cargo is excessively wet.”

38
 REGIONAL REPORT
Port of Louisiana encouraged by
President Trump’s priority project list
DEEPENING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER A
Globalplex bulk cement domes.
PRIORITY FOR LOUISIANA AND THE
NATION
As an advocate of deepening the
Mississippi River, a critical element to
unencumbered movement of cargo
and the success of Louisiana’s — and
the nation’s (United States of
America) — economy, Port of South
Louisiana Executive Director Paul
Aucoin travelled to Washington, DC
last month to meet key stakeholders,
including Dan Slane, a key member of
President Trump’s transition team.
Today, Slane is serving in the White
House as Deputy Director,
Infrastructure at the National Trade
Council. In the meeting with Slane,
Aucoin and Slane discussed issues
affecting the Port of South Louisiana, including, and most undertaking seems to echo President Trump’s promise to
importantly, the dredging of the Mississippi River. “I revitalize the nation’s failing transportation infrastructure.
stressed...that ensuring the river is open for business will 
stimulate impressive economic growth and generate BULK FACILITY
thousands of good paying jobs for working Americans,” said Globalplex Intermodal Terminal’s deep-draft bulk terminal is
Aucoin. It is not just an issue affecting Louisiana; states are dedicated to handling materials including, but not limited to,
dependent on the mouth of the river being properly dredged. cement, mineral ores, and woodchips. The bulk dock is
It is also a matter of national security. “As a country, the 44 × 570 and is equipped with upstream and downstream
Mississippi River is one of our most valuable resources and mooring buoys, allowing dockage of Panamax-class vessels.
we must take steps to ensure its continued reliability.” Bulk handling equipment includes a 1,200tph (tonnes per
President Donald Trump has released a list of 50 hour) shiploader, a Manitowoc 4,600 swing crane with
“Emergency and National Security Projects,” totalling $317.5 hopper, an upgraded bulk commodities conveyor system
billion in investment and touting the creation of over 193,000 capable of running up to 2,500tph, and an 800tph Carlsen
jobs. The list includes three Louisiana projects, one of which screw-type unloader for special handling of cement.
is the dredging of the Mississippi River. Projects on the list The cement facility, which includes dome storage, is one of
had to be deemed (a) a national security or public safety the largest in the United States. Cargo is quickly moved to
“emergency,” (b) “shovel-ready,” with at least 30% of initial and from landside storage via an extensive covered conveyor
design and engineering work complete, (c) a direct job system.
creator, and (d) a project with the potential for increased US
manufacturing. ABOUT THE PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA
Although Congress authorized a 50-foot channel depth in The Port of South Louisiana is a 54-mile port district on the
1985, the project was never properly funded. While ports on Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge,
the east coast have been adequately deepened to 50 feet to encompassing the parishes of St. Charles, St. John and St.
accommodate today’s deep-draught vessels, the lack of James. The facilities located within the port’s district
attention to the Mississippi River channel continues to consistently handle over a quarter billion short tons of cargo
negatively affect ports and the industries that lie upon the annually, ranking it the largest tonnage port district in the
largest waterway in the nation. Western Hemisphere, the nation’s greatest grain exporter,
Today, Aucoin is pleased President Trump is listening and and the number one energy transfer port in the United
prioritizing this project. As project seven on the list, ranking States. Along the 108 miles of deep-water frontage on both
highest of the three Louisiana projects included, it is banks of the river there are seven grain transfer facilities, four
catalogued at a cost of $1 billion that would create 200 major oil refineries, 11 petrochemical manufacturing facilities
direct jobs. “I know it’s early on in the process,” Aucoin says and several other facilities for a total of more than 50 docks
“but I am encouraged that Trump’s administration will keep owned and operated by an impressive group of resident
MAY 2017

this project on the forefront and will urge Congress to tenants such as ADM, ArcelorMittal, Dow, Cargill, DuPont,
approve it.” Motiva Enterprises, Marathon, Shell, Nucor Steel., Occidental,
The release of this list and the inclusion of its essential Valero, and Occidental Chemical.
DCi

39
REGIONAL REPORT

Associated Terminals: servicing the Lower Mississippi

cargo, including truck and rail loading and unloading, warehousing
and storage, bagging capabilities and screening/processing
services.

Port of South Louisiana/Globalplex

Associated Terminals’ Globalplex Intermodal Terminal is located
at the Port of South Louisiana — the largest tonnage port in the
western hemisphere.

Convent
AssociatedFrontConvent is the site of Associated Terminals’
headquarters and technology center. This site is located in the
centre of one of the most highly industrialized areas on the
Lower Mississippi River.

Serving the Lower Mississippi River and beyond, Associated Port Allen
Terminals offers a scope of services, including midstream Associated Terminals owns and operates an intermodal terminal
operations, terminal port operations, in-plant services, logistical in the Greater Baton Rouge area — providing effective cargo
solutions, general cargo/warehousing and agricultural commodity handling solutions to meet the specific needs of its customers.
exports. Whether it is along the US Gulf or elsewhere, the Located on the Intracoastal Canal in Port Allen at mile post 229
company will examine the need of its existing or potential A.H.P., this facility is focused on the efficient transfer of cargo
customers and bring its scope of services where there is a need. between barge, truck and warehouse storage.

SERVICES Port Manchac

Associated Terminals provides a comprehensive range of value- Port Manchac is an inter-modal facility that serves manufacturing
added services, which allows it to offer complete cargo and distribution clients throughout the Gulf South.
movement solutions for its customers. The scope of facilities The port is ideally located-the Canadian National (CN)
and assets offered by Associated Terminals includes offering dry Railroad’s north-south main line runs directly adjacent to the
bulk, breakbulk and project cargo shippers an extensive range of port’s property and provides regular service to the facility as
services, including the total coordination of movements to needed.
provide customers with a comprehensive transportation and
stevedoring package. Gottwald cranes
All of Associated Terminals’ facilities are served by its fleet of
ASSETS & FACILITIES modern, high capacity floating Gottwald cranes. With 14 of the
Associated Terminals’ locations and facilities include the Port of most technologically advanced cranes in the world, Associated
St. Bernard/Chalmette Slip, the Port of South Louisiana/ Terminals is able to offer advantageous options to its customers.
Globalplex, St. James Parish, the Port Manchac Intermodal
Terminal, the Port of Baton Rouge/Port Allen and the Myrtle SAFETY
Grove Midstream Terminal. These facilities represent the total As an industry leader in safety, Associated Terminals is
commitment Associated Terminals have made to provide its committed to conducting operations in a manner that ensures
customers with the most dynamic logistical solutions and cargo the well-being of its people, minimizes impact on the
handling in its industry. From its deep-draught berthing locations environment and reduces exposure and risks to physical assets.
to its diverse range of cargo handling options, its 900,000 square The focus of Associated Terminals’ safety programme is
feet of covered warehousing space and much more, Associated driven by ensuring that all employees are trained for the specific
Terminals has the resources to handle its customers’ unique tasks they perform. To that end, Associated Terminals offers an
needs safely and efficiently. extensive training programme that goes beyond standard training
practices — as well as a Safety Management System and a
Myrtle Grove / MGMT comprehensive HSE Policy to which all employees must adhere.
Associated Terminals operates the Myrtle Grove Midstream In addition, Associated Terminals has instituted Stop Work
Terminal — a floating grain elevator specializing in the transfer Authority that allows any employee to stop operations in the
of grain and grain byproducts between barges and ocean vessels. event that unsafe working conditions are detected.
Located at mile post 56.8 A.H.P. on the Lower Mississippi River, When it comes to safety, Associated Terminals is very
this terminal offers vessels the advantage of providing the proactive. It conducts regular audits to identify and correct
shortest transit time from the Gulf of Mexico. potential problems. In addition, Associated Terminals has
developed a comprehensive safety manual; it conducts regular
Port of St. Bernard maintenance on all equipment to ensure safe operation; and it
Offering an ideal location, deep draft berths and intermodal requires all employees to undergo drug screenings.
MAY 2017

facilities, the Port of St. Bernard is a full-service marine terminal. With one of the most comprehensive Health, Safety and
Associated Terminals is the exclusive operator of the port’s Environmental programmes in the industry, Associated Terminals
marine facilities, which offer a wide range of berthing options has made a strong commitment to making safety a top priority
DCi and cargo handling solutions for bulk, breakbulk and project throughout its entire company each and every day. DCi

40
W hen it come s to the movement of bulk , br eakbul k and pr ojec t c ar go along
the L o wer Mis sis sippi Ri ver, tur n to A s s o ciated Ter minal s . We have as s embled
a te am of exper t s and inve s ted in moder n f acilitie s , equipment and r el ate d
as s et s to be s t s er v ice your c ar go shipping needs . A dd to that our tot al
commitment to s afet y and it is eas y to s e e that A s s o ciated Ter minal s is an
excellent choice for all of your c ar go handling and logis tic al s olutions .

w w w.associatedterminal s.com
NEWS
CASE reveals winning entries from livery-design competitions
Two competitions, for leading European design
Winning ‘hands-on’ design from
schools and members of the public, have
Edoardo Vetere and Luca de
produced stunning new vehicle liveries which
Maria at the Istituto d’Arte
complement styling by CNH’s Industrial
Applicata e Design.
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Design Centre.
During its Paris launch of its new G Series
wheel loaders on 20 March this year, CASE
Construction Equipment revealed three
striking new vehicle liveries. The new designs
were created through three different channels
of engagement: the CNH Industrial Design
Centre, a competition for leading European
design schools, and a Facebook competition
for members of the public.
All three liveries were on show in March at
the CASE Customer Centre in Paris. The two
competition-winning designs overlay the new, official CASE livery organized by CNH Industrial. Creativity, method and
that was announced in January. This new livery features a dark professionalism have won: it is in the relationship between these
grey colour on the lower part of the machines with reflective elements that the meaning of design and designers lie.
white colouring above, ‘CASE’ lettering in the same font as the “We are very proud that IAAD students have won this
brand logo, and a new ‘Power Abe’ metallic badge. competition. Challenges like this are directly relevant to our
students’ ambitions and help them develop a good understanding
DESIGN COLLEGE’S WINNING LIVERY TAKES ‘HANDS-ON’ of a company’s real-world needs. Seeing the livery in full-size on
APPROACH the CASE G Series wheel loader will be a big thrill!”
Six eminent European design schools were invited by CNH The prize for the winning entry is a paid internship and
Industrial to submit liveries for the new G Series wheel loaders: scholarship at CNH’s Industrial Design Centre, which will help
L’École de design Nantes Atlantique (Nantes, France), Glasgow students launch their professional career.
School of Art (Glasgow, Scotland), Istituto d’Arte Applicata e
Design (Turin, Italy), Istituto Europeo di Design (Turin, Italy), PUBLIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMPETITION WINNER IS CLEVERLY
Politecnico di Torino (Turin, Italy), and Umeå Institute of Design HUMOROUS
(Umeå, Sweden). The public competition was opened on Facebook last November
The design school students were asked to strive for originality to residents of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. CASE
while also capturing CASE brand values of heritage, people and gave the same advice about CASE brand values to all entrants.
passion, hands-on, and problem solving. The winning design came The winner is Stefano Scardovi, from Ravenna, Italy. His livery
from Edoardo Vetere and Luca de Maria at the Istituto d’Arte features an elephant, which suggests the wheel loader’s
Applicata e Design (IAAD). They emphasized CASE’s ‘hands-on’ robustness and load-lugging ability. The lower part of the
brand value by painting a giant yellow hand on the wheel loader’s elephant’s trunk is painted on the vehicle’s bodywork and the
rear bodywork against a contrasting background of graphite gray- upper part of the trunk is formed in three dimensions by the
black. T he students explained, “Hands-on is a symbol celebrating vehicle’s curved exhaust pipe.
the importance of hard work, the foundation of every great Scardovi was invited to see his livery on a new G Series wheel
deed.” loader at the wheel loader launch.
Laura Milani, IAAD Director and CEO, commented: “Sharing
skills to transform ideas into realizable projects is the heart of EXPERT JUDGES IMPRESSED BY ENTRANTS’ CREATIVITY
what happens every day at IAAD. The students at the Academic The judging panels of both design competitions were headed by
Course in Communication and Transportation design have the Director of the CNH Industrial Design Centre, David Wilkie.
worked together to create a brief, able to comply effectively with As a graduate of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh School of Art in
the requirements of the CASE WL Graphic Talent competition Glasgow, with a specialization in Industrial Design, and holder of a
Postgraduate Master’s Degree in
Automotive Design from the Royal
Public Social Media competition College of Art in London, David recalls
winnder Stefano Scardovi, from how important it is to encourage
Ravenna, Italy, opted to use an students to combine free-thinking
elephant to suggests the wheel loader’s creativity with real-world
robustness and load-lugging ability. considerations.
Wilkie said: “We were genuinely
impressed by the quality of the
entries. They showed great
MAY 2017

imagination, creativity, and enthusiasm

for CASE’s products. The best designs
combined a sense of fun with strong
DCi visual clues about product character.”

42
NEWS

AAF clean air solutions for fertilizer industry

Industrial processes AAF FabriPulse® baghouse filter.
produce a large amount of
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

pollutants in various forms

— particles, gases, vapours
and mists — many of
which are toxic or
explosive. Now, with
regulations becoming
increasingly stringent,
reducing production-
related pollution is an
environmental and legal
must-have.
For more than 90 years,
AAF International has been
providing clean air
solutions for power and
industrial processes around
the globe. AAF’s
reputation for developing
quality products and
innovative solutions dates
back to 1921, throughout
its rich history the company has pioneered many of the work environment for the clients’ employees. They have also
techniques used today to control airborne dust, fume and enhanced belt conveyors efficiency and extended their
vapour. lifetime. Moreover this de-dusting solution has enabled the
AAF International manufactures complete systems, from client to comply with environmental standards.
dust collection to clean air outlet transition, for industries
like metalworking, food processing, pharmaceutical and SULPHURIC ACID CASE STUDY
chemical. AAF works very closely with customers to supply Another case study of a solution offered by AAF to one of its
air filtration systems that meet their specific needs so as to clients is in the sulphuric acid field, the world’s most widely
comply with the strictest environmental regulations and used chemical. This compound is an essential intermediate
facilitate their processes. AAF has extensive experience in many processes in the chemical like phosphate fertilizer
manufacturing tailored dust collectors for fertilizer including production. The process starts burning liquid sulphur to
phosphate, nitrogen, potassium and sulphur. With dust obtain sulphur dioxide (SO2) which is subsequently converted
removal being of critical importance to the fertilizer industry, into SO3. Sulphuric acid is obtained by the absorption of
AAF has installed several dust collectors in leading SO3 into H2SO4.
international companies. AAF tailor-made clean air solution consisted of a two-
stage static housing: first stage was composed of louvers and
CASE STUDY: PHOSPHATE ROCK PLANT WHICH pre-filters; the second stage was made of DriPak F5 pocket
MANUFACTURES SUPERPHOSPHATES (SSP, TSP) AND filters as final filters.
AMMONIUM PHOSPHATES (MAP, DAP) The filter housing captures dust from outdoor air, the
AAF supplied a dust collection system to help its client to filtered air is then dried with concentrated sulphuric acid via
protect its employees and belt conveyors from fine particles a counter-current flow in the drying tower to remove water
emitted during phosphate transportation from storage areas vapour. Indeed major changes were made in the sulphuric
to ship loading areas. The process starts by sending ground acid process to maximize energy recovery and use heat to
phosphate rock from the mines to recovery units to separate generate high pressure steam or electricity. This solution has
sand and clay and to remove impurities. Belt conveyors carry enabled the plant to operate at its peak performance and to
phosphate from one process to the next. The phosphate is maximize the production output.
stocked in four storage facilities then routed to transfer AAF International’s product portfolio also includes a wide
towers via belt conveyors, from there it is dispatched to be range of filters and replacement parts that ensure superior
loaded onto ships (2,000 tonnes per hour). filtration efficiency (cartridges filters, bag filters) and field
AAF’s custom designed clean air solution consisted of 16 services from maintenance, refits and upgrades. The company
FabriPulse Fusion FPF 12-176 baghouse filters (four per hall). today continues to invest thousands of hours in the research
These dust collectors were installed to capture dust at and development of new products to embrace the challenges
MAY 2017

transfer points and chutes – during phosphate spill to provided by modern industrial processes. This ensures the
trippers and its discharge on belt conveyors. delivery of the most cost effective and energy efficient
AAF baghouse filters have provided a healthy and safe products available in the market today.
DCi

44
NEWS
ASGCO® introduces Semi-Ceramic pulley lagging
NEWLY IMPROVED CERAMIC TILE CORRECTS BELT SLIPPAGE AND PREMATURE
WEAR.
ASGCO® has added a Semi-Ceramic™ Pulley Lagging to its
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

pulley lagging product line, featuring 40% coverage. The

addition of this Semi-Ceramic Lagging allows the
company to offer a semi-ceramic product range to
provide customers with a choice between full
ceramic coverage with its Arrowhead® Ceramic
Pulley Lagging for high tension drive pulleys, as
well as less than full ceramic coverage with its
new Semi-Ceramic™ Lagging for smaller
pulleys, non-drive pulleys and bend pulleys.
ASGCO®’s Semi-Ceramic Pulley Lagging
provides the solution when conventional
rubber lagging fails to correct belt slippage
and wears prematurely.
The ceramic tiles are embedded in rubber
on all sides and separated by a horizontal
groove for dispelling water and dirt. ASGCO®’s
pre-chemical backing provides an
exceptional bond for rubber-to-
metal applications.
ASGCO®’s Semi-
Ceramic™ Lagging is
supplied in 15 inch
(385MM) wide X
32.81 foot (10M) rolls for
full versatility, so customers can use only what is
needed.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

v newly improved ceramic tile — provides robust performance in dry, wet, or muddy
applications;
v high grade — aluminium oxide ceramic;
v bonding strength — that is superior to others, due to 3mm of ASGCO®’s neoprene

Abrasion-resistant tiles fully

enclosed by rubber.

compound vulcanized into

bottom-side of the
lagging;
v pre-chemical backing
— for ease of installation;
v increased productivity
— by delivering increased
traction between the
conveyor belt and pulley,
allowing for lower belt
tension than with rubber
lagging;
v reduced downtime —
on non-drive pulleys,
where pulley change-out
due to excessive wear is
difficult; and
v rounded corners —
MAY 2017

allow for better adhesion

between the rubber and
DCi the tile.

46
 NEWS
GENMA wins contract to supply three mobiles cranes to Paradip Port in India
GENMA has recently been awarded a contract by
GHC100 at MIP, Myanmar.
J. M. Baxi group in India to supply three GHC100
mobile cranes for Paradip Port. J. M. Baxi & Co,
established in 1916, is a leading Indian shipping

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

services company, and almost synonymous with
the shipping industry in India. One of its
subsidiaries, Paradip International Cargo Terminal
Pvt. Ltd., is responsible for sourcing versatile cargo
handling equipment to be used at a clean wharf at
Paradip Port.
This wharf has a depth of 17.1m, and is 450m
long. It can handle vessels of up to 125,000dwt.
The main cargoes are steel, aluminium blocks,
chemical fertilizers, grain, sugar etc. Mobile
harbour cranes are the ideal equipment for the
operating conditions at the wharf. There were
several competitors for this contract, including
some of the top players in the market. After
several rounds of co-ordination and on-site
performance checks on some of GENMA’s
installations, GENMA stood out from the
competition with the proof of the high efficiency
and customizability of its equipment.
The final contract is for three GHC100 mobile
harbour cranes, with capacities of 100t, with a
working radius of 1,048m.

PREVIOUS GENMA MOBILE HARBOUR CRANE

INSTALLATIONS
To date, GENMA’s mobile harbour crane sales
total nine units, including these three units,
ranging from 63t to 200t. The travelling
mechanism includes rubber-tyred and rail-
mounted types.

ABOUT GENMA
The brand GENMA belongs to Rainbow Heavy Industries (RHI), which mainly provides material handling solutions. Aside from its
expertise in container handling solutions, GENMA is also GENMA wins contract to supply three mobile cranes to Paradip Port in India
expanding broadly in the bulk handling business.
The main products supplied by GENMA include: mobile harbour cranes; pneumatic ship-unloaders; bridge-type grab ship-unloaders;
scraper ship unloaders; chain
bucket ship-unloaders; mobile
shiploaders; and environmental
hopper etc.
The headquarters of
GENMA is located in Shanghai,
China. The manufacturing,
technology and R&D centres
are in Nantong, China. To
better serve customers,
GENMA has set up sales and
service contact offices in
Singapore, India, Belgium and
Canada. Besides that, its agents
in Asia, Africa, South America
and Middle East can also
provide a quick response
MAY 2017

service.
GENMA’s methodology is to
help multi-industry clients
benefit from its service. DCi

47
NEWS
ArcelorMittal places its faith in AUMUND equipment once more
ONCE AGAIN,
ARCELORMITTAL IS
COUNTING ON THE
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

STRENGTHS OF THE
LOUISE-TYPE AUMUND
DRAG CHAIN CONVEYOR

Steel maker ArcelorMittal is

building on proven
solutions and reliable
partners in Brazil. About
20 years ago, a shock-
pressure-proof drag chain
conveyor was ordered for
Brazil from LOUISE
Fördertechnik, before this 1998: AUMUND drag chain conveyor, type LOUISE TKF, in
company was acquired by ArcelorMittal’s João Monlevade plant in Brazil (photo AUMUND).
AUMUND Fördertechnik
GmbH. Now, AUMUND
has won an order for another drag chain conveyor, type LOUISE CSBM, Companhia Siderurgica Belgo Mineira. Arcelor was
TKF. The shock-pressure-proof design of its predecessor was no created by the merger of Aceralia and Usinor and merged with
longer required for the new model because of the change in Mittal in 2006 to become ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel
classification of the plant segment. The dispatch of the machine is concern.
planned for June 2017. Around 15 years ago, AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH
The earlier model drag chain conveyor was ordered in 1998 integrated the products of the LOUISE subsidiary into its own
by the then Brazilian arm of the Luxemburg steel company Arbed, portfolio. This double-strand drag chain conveyor with a capacity
of 3kW, a centre distance of 10.4m and a performance of 25tph
(tonnes per hour), will be used for bunker extraction.
The previous machine proved its durability in an interesting
way. One of the supports of a weighing cell collapsed and caused
ROPE GRABS one side of the silo to subside. A large portion of the fallen
steelwork weighing several tonnes was resting on the discharge
MOTOR GRABS conveyor. If it had not been for the strength of this machine, the
HYDRAULIC GRABS silo may well have collapsed completely, and the damage would
in all executions for each handling have been far more extensive. “It is of course not the usual
The perfect grabs with unbeatable handling method by which we test the quality of our machines!” remarks
The most economic solution in grab construction
Ingo Dietzold, Managing Director of AUMUND do Brasil in São
Paulo.
ArcelorMittal Brazil boasts 11,000 employees spread over 27
manufacturing and administration sites, and has a production
capacity of 11.3mt (million tonnes) of steel and 7.1mt of iron ore.

ABOUT THE AUMUND GROUP

The AUMUND Group is active worldwide. The conveying and
storage specialist has special expertise at its disposal when
dealing with bulk materials. With their high degree of
individuality, both its technically sophisticated as well as innovative
products have contributed to the AUMUND Group today being a
major force in many areas of conveying and storage technology.
The manufacturing companies AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH
(Rheinberg, Germany), SCHADE Lagertechnik GmbH
(Gelsenkirchen, Germany), SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd. (Ely,
England), as well as AUMUND Logistic GmbH (Rheinberg,
Germany) are consolidated under the umbrella of the AUMUND
Group. In conjunction with the headquarters of the
manufacturing companies, the global conveying and storage
technology business is spearheaded through a total of ten
locations in Asia, Europe, North and South America and a total of
five warehouses in Germany, USA, Brazil, Hong Kong and Saudi
Arabia.
SENNEBOGEN’s new sales
structure in Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania
From 1 April this year, SENNEBOGEN has changed its
distributor network in the three Baltic countries.
ScanBalt Crane now represents SENNEBOGEN in the
area, a decision that was made since the companies have
been co-operating since 2001.
In recent years ScanBalt Crane has established an
excellent product knowledge and service back up. At the
same time, ScanBalt Crane kept developing its service
team as well as its sales structure in Latvia and Lithuania.
Thanks to its extensive experience, ScanBalt Crane will
add additional value to SENNEBOGEN’s ‘GreenLine’
products and intensify the market development for
SENNEBOGEN in all three Baltics states.
SENNEBOGEN is grateful to its previous dealer,
Konekesko, for all that it has achieved over the year.
Service and spare parts are now available from ScanBalt
Crane.
With its extended product range SENNEBOGEN
offers solutions to any material handling task with
machines in the size of 11–300 tonnes own weight.

SOME THINK
The SENNEBOGEN machines are purpose built for
industrial three-shift operation and are well known for
their reliability and easy service access. Lowest cost of

A MARGIN
ownership is always in the focus when developing new
products. With
the huge range

OF ERROR IS
and variety of
solutions such
as electric

ACCEPTABLE.
motors,
equilibrium
balanced

WE THINK
machines
SENNEBOGEN
is one of the main suppliers for the material handling

DIFFERENT.
industry worldwide.
The SENNEBOGEN Group — with its production
facilities in Germany and worldwide distributors — is still
100% family owned, which allows it to continuously adopt
the existing products and design new models according
to customer demand. The BEUMER fillpac® R is a filling system with a difference.
ScanBalt Crane OÜ is an enterprise founded in the Using revolutionary microprocessor-based weighing
year 2000 that sells, leases out and provides maintenance electronics with vertical filling impellers and the bag
for material handling machines, cranes and their discharge system including a check weigher, it delivers
additional devices. The company has sold a substantial entirely new standards of precision and performance:
amount of material handling machines and devices in automatic optimisation; 300-6,000 bags per hour;
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. individual bag tracking and latest PMS generation; we
Working closely together with its sister companies of know what it takes to streamline your end-of-line
loading and stevedoring services and with long time productivity. For next generation packaging solutions
partner SENNEBOGEN, ScanBalt Crane can offer ideal
that make a difference, visit www.beumergroup.com
solutions to customers in need for material handling
machines.
RopeCon®
The Innovation in Bulk Material Handling
Wherever bulk material needs to go – across impassable terrain, rivers,
highways and buildings – RopeCon® delivers without a hitch!

Long distances, capacities of up to 25,000 tonnes/hour, minimal environmental footprint,

quiet operation plus low operating and maintenance costs: These are the features that convinced
leading mining businesses.

www.doppelmayr-mts.com

... your success story.

Our know-how …

Doppelmayr Transport Technology GmbH, Konrad-Doppelmayr-Strasse 1, 6922 Wolfurt / Austria, T +43 5574 604 1800, [email protected]
 NEWS
Successful start-up of RopeCon® to transport limestone
The successful start-up of a RopeCon® system which will
transport limestone from the quarry to the area where it

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

will be processed has recently taken place in Guatemala,
approximately 35km from the capital. The installation, which
requires no more than four tower structures to cross a
wooded terrain, has a length of approximately 1.6km and
covers a vertical rise of almost 200m. Thanks to the long
rope spans, it has been possible to minimize the amount of
space required on the ground. The cement plant of
Guatemalan Cementos Progreso, S. A. is due to begin
operations in the first half of year 2017. From then on, the
RopeCon® will transport 2,100 tonnes of material every
hour.
RopeCon® has been developed and designed by the
Austrian ropeway manufacturer Doppelmayr and combines
the features of a belt conveyor with those of a ropeway,
thereby making use of the advantages of both technologies.
It is currently in use for a variety of material transport
applications all over the world.

Correction: November 2016 issue

On pp87–88 of the printed version of the November
2016 issue of Dry Cargo International, we included two
If youre reading
photographs that, we now learn, are the property of
major dome manufacturer Dome Technology, and depict
Dome Technology projects.
this....
These photographs were used without authorization
from Dome Technology, and the company has expressed
concern that their placement will mislead readers about
their provenance, and about Dome Technology’s
business.
We would like to apologize unreservedly for the
unauthorized use of these photographs, and for any
potential embarrassment caused to Dome Technology.

...then so, very probably, are your customers!

ABOUT DOME TECHNOLOGY
Dome Technology is a pioneer in dome storage solutions
that can outperform traditional silos and flat storage.
To find out how you can benefit from advertising in the
For more than 35 years, the company has been building
world’s only monthly dry bulk publication contact Jason
domes that last longer, hold more, and move more
product than other bulk-storage options on the market. Chinnock or Andrew Hucker-Brown on:
Dome Technology is able to handle a very wide range
of projects, from a 100m-wide molybdenum bulk storage Tel: +44 (0)1206 562560 Fax: +44 (0)1206 562566
dome for the Climax Molybdenum Mine in Colorado to Email: [email protected]
a pair of iron ore dome silos reaching 41m tall for the
Cliffs Natural Resources Iron Mines in Quebec.
NEWS
TAKRAF awarded major contract in Africa
TAKRAF GmbH, a Leipzig based company with a wealth
of experience in development, design, fabrication, erection West African Guinea boasts the world’s largest
and commissioning of equipment and systems for the reserves in bauxite, a raw material utilized for
the production of alumina. (source: TAKRAF
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

global mining and material handling industry, has secured

a major contract for the turn key supply and installation GmbH)
of a bauxite handling plant in Guinea, West Africa. The
contract value is approximately €100 million.
TAKRAF, with roots dating back to 1725 and with
more than 1,000 employees worldwide, is affiliated to
TENOVA spa, a technology-based group of companies
based in Milan, Italy, which in turn belongs to the Italian
engineering company TECHINT, a leading integrated
supplier of technology and turnkey industrial plants.
Guinea, situated on the west coast of Africa, boasts
the world’s largest reserves in bauxite, a raw material
utilized for the production of alumina, which is used in
the smelting of aluminium, a metal important in the
aviation industry, automobile fabrication, and many more
durable goods manufacture.
Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG), jointly owned by carried out whilst the installation is in operation. Very limited
the international mining houses ALCOA, RIO TINTO, DADCO plant downtime and difficult conditions for logistics are a further
challenge.
TAKRAF is executing this contract in close
The contract value of the installation is approximately €100 million. A major
cooperation with their subsidiaries in the USA,
challenge for TAKRAF is reconstructing
China and South Africa, whereas the project lead is
the plant whilst the installation
based in Leipzig, Germany. TAKRAF’s CEO Dr.
is in operation.
Frank Hubrich underlines the importance of this
(source: TAKRAF
project for the implementation of the company in
GmbH)
the important markets in western Africa and
praises the good co-operation between the
different entities of the company. The
commissioning of the plant is scheduled for the
second half of 2018.
Tenova TAKRAF is an integrated solutions
provider to the global mining, bulk material handling
and minerals industries, offering innovative
technological solutions as well as process and
commodity knowledge along the industry value
chains. With the integration of the well-known
DELKOR brand of products into TAKRAF, the
offered portfolio for the mineral beneficiation and
processing sectors has been considerably enhanced.
and the State of Guinea, mines and exports bauxite for more Tenova is a worldwide supplier of advanced technologies,
than 50 years and has put in place an ambitious programme to products, and engineering services for the mining and metals
increase their export capacity, for which TAKRAF supplies industries.
equipment for
the unloading of As part of an ambitious program to increase the export capacity,
rail wagons and TAKRAF supplies and installs equipment for the unloading of rail
crushing and wagons as well as crushing and conveying of bauxite.
conveying of the (source: TAKRAF GmbH)
bauxite. A major
challenge is the
brownfield
character of the
works, which
means that the
MAY 2017

new supplies and

modifications to
the existing plant
DCi have to be

52
 ®
E R
D L E
AN RAN
-H E- C
E y b

“The
The E-Crane
E-Crane sy
system
stem has cut our unloading
ding time in half
half,
f,
it A L W AYS
y
cut our maintenance
maintenance time dramatically,
dramatically, and just gener
generally
rall
a ly
See Wh been
simplified
simplified our lives
liv
ve
es and rreduced
educed our costs
costs substantially
substantially”. has
A N E .C OM !
Tom Noble, Department Supervisor, Powersouth Energy
@ E-CR

1 SHOR
SHORTT DELIVER
DELIVERY
Y TIME
Lead time as fast as 3-4 months ex-works

132 K
Kw
w ELEC
ELECTRICAL
TRICAL MOTOR
MOTORR
Save money with low energy costs

VERSA
VERSATILITY
ATTILITY
Free Standing, Crawlers, Floating, Rail

“WHITE is the New Green”

NEWS
AAF clean air solutions for the fertilizer industry
Industrial processes produce a large amount
AAF FabriPulse®
of pollutants in various forms – particles,
baghouse filter.
gases, vapours and mists – many of which
are toxic or explosive. Now, with
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

regulations becoming increasingly stringent,

reducing production-related pollution is an
environmental and legal must-have.
For more than 90 years, AAF
International has been providing clean air
solutions for power and industrial processes
around the globe. AAF’s reputation for
developing quality products and innovative
solutions dates back to 1921, throughout its
rich history the company has pioneered
many of the techniques used today to
control airborne dust, fume and vapour.
AAF International manufactures complete
systems, from dust collection to clean air
outlet transition, for industries like
metalworking, food processing,
pharmaceutical and chemical. AAF work
very closely with customers to supply air filtration systems that These dust collectors were installed to capture dust at transfer
meet their specific needs so as to comply with the strictest points and chutes — during phosphate spill to trippers and its
environmental regulations and facilitate their processes. AAF has discharge on belt conveyors.
extensive experience in manufacturing tailored dust collectors for AAF baghouse filters have provided a healthy and safe work
fertilizer including phosphate, nitrogen, potassium and sulphur. environment for the clients’ employees. They have also enhanced
With dust removal being of critical importance to the fertilizer belt conveyors efficiency and extended their lifetime. Moreover
industry, AAF has installed several dust collectors in leading this de-dusting solution has enabled AAF’s client to comply with
international companies. environmental standards.
Another case study of a solution offered by AAF to one of its
CASE STUDY OF A PHOSPHATE ROCK PLANT WHICH clients is in the sulphuric acid field, the world’s most widely used
MANUFACTURES SUPERPHOSPHATES (SSP, TSP) AND AMMONIUM chemical. This compound is an essential intermediate many
PHOSPHATES (MAP, DAP). processes in the chemical like phosphate fertilizer production.
AAF supplied a dust collection system to help its client to The process starts burning liquid sulphur to obtain sulphur
protect its employees and belt conveyors from fine particles dioxide (SO2) which is subsequently converted into SO3.
emitted during phosphate transportation from storage areas to Sulphuric acid is obtained by the absorption of SO3 into H2SO4.
ship loading areas. The process starts by sending ground AAF tailor-made clean air solution consisted of a two-stage
phosphate rock from the mines to recovery units to separate static housing: first stage was composed of louvres and pre-filters;
sand and clay and to remove impurities. Belt conveyors carry the second stage was made of DriPak F5 pocket filters as final
phosphate from one process to the next. The phosphate is filters.
stocked in four storage facilities then routed to transfer towers The filter housing captures dust from outdoor air, the filtered
via belt conveyors, from there it is dispatched to be loaded onto air is then dried with concentrated sulphuric acid via a counter-
ships (2,000 tonnes per hour). current flow in the drying tower to remove water vapour.
AAF’s custom designed clean air solution consisted of 16 Indeed major changes were made in the sulphuric acid process to
FabriPulse Fusion FPF 12-176 baghouse filters (four per hall). maximize energy recovery and use heat to generate high-
pressure steam or electricity. This solution
has enabled the plant to operate at its peak
performance and to maximize the
production output.
AAF International’s product portfolio
also includes a wide range of filters and
replacement parts that ensure superior
filtration efficiency (cartridges filters, bag
filters) and field services from maintenance,
refits and upgrades. AAF continues to invest
thousands of hours in the research and
development of new products to embrace
MAY 2017

the challenges provided by modern

industrial processes. This ensures the
delivery of very cost effective and energy
DCi efficient products.

54
 NEWS
Alum SA Tulcea Romania optimizes production with a BWZ-type AUMUND bucket elevator
Alum SA Tulcea of Romania took delivery of a new central chain bucket elevator
AUMUND
type BWZ from AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH in April 2017. The new 100tph
buckets with
(tonnes per hour) bucket elevator will be used in the production process to feed
central chain
calcined aluminium oxide into the silo. The installation of the new bucket elevator
(example, photo

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

will enable the plant operator to dispense with a machine previously purchased
AUMUND).
from another manufacturer which is no longer performing.
Alum Tulcea runs the only aluminium refinery in Romania. It is situated on the
Ukrainian border, and produces on average 600,000 tonnes per year of calcined
aluminium oxide, which is used in the production of aluminium.
By ordering the AUMUND machine, the operator is taking a further step
towards fulfilling the strict environmental guidelines of the European Union,
through optimization of its production process. Compared to the existing bucket
elevator, noise and dust emissions are greatly reduced; therefore workplace
conditions are significantly improved.
AUMUND has built a reputation as world-renowned specialist for conveying and
storage technology, in almost all branches of the industry, selling more than 18,000
machines. The contract to supply a chain bucket elevator for silo feed of calcined
aluminium oxide is, however, the first order of this kind for the Romanian
aluminium industry in the entire 90+ years’ history of the AUMUND Group.

ABOUT THE AUMUND GROUP

The AUMUND Group is active worldwide. The conveying and storage specialist
has special expertise at its disposal when dealing with bulk materials. With their high degree of individuality, both its technically
sophisticated as well as innovative products have contributed to the AUMUND Group today being a major force in many areas of
conveying and storage technology. The manufacturing companies AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH (Rheinberg, Germany), SCHADE
Lagertechnik GmbH (Gelsenkirchen, Germany), SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd. (Ely, England), as well as AUMUND Logistic GmbH
(Rheinberg, Germany) are consolidated under the umbrella of the AUMUND Group. In conjunction with the headquarters of the
manufacturing companies, the global conveying and storage technology business is spearheaded through a total of ten locations in Asia,
Europe, North and South America and a total of five warehouses in Germany, USA, Brazil, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

ulk ogistic andmark

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Your dry bulk material is our concern
Project feasibility study
Consulting, design and engineering
Equipment procurement and supply
Supervision and technical assistance
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... A sea of knowledge and expertise !

www.bulklogisticlandmark.com • [email protected]
NEWS
Mould and mildew prevention with a DomeSiloTM for grain storage
Temperature swings typical of
springtime can set the stage for Selecting a strong, weatherproof dome from Dome
mould and mildew growth in Technology was the storage solution of choice for a
grain storage, but selecting a major grain player located on the Mississippi.
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

reinforced concrete
DomeSilo™ is a significant,
proactive way to protect grains,
even when stored for longer
periods of time, writes Rebecca
Long Pyper for Dome Technology.
Grain producers know that
mould, mildew and time are
major concerns when storing
large amounts of product
during warm seasons.
According to DTN/The
Progressive Farmer, since grain
stored improperly can
experience quality issues as the
weather warms up, farmers are
encouraged to stay on top of
management efforts like grain
monitoring, coring bins, and
equalizing air temperature in
the bin by operating fans. moisture content to be as high as possible because they can sell
Although these are good housekeeping measures and no that weight. However, (grains) also need to be sufficiently dry to
mechanized system can completely replace them, a reinforced- not decompose or have other issues,” said engineer for Dome
concrete DomeSilo provides a high level of self-management. Technology Adam Aagard.
“The environment is much more manageable than a traditional To maintain an ideal interior environment, aeration systems
silo or convectional storage building. You do not have the daily maintain the moisture and temperature, making sure interior
drastic temperature fluctuations a traditional building has,” Dome conditions will help achieve or preserve the appropriate long-
Technology sales manager James Stoker said. term-storage moisture content.
“The systems we’ve used in the past are designed specifically
PROTECTED, INSULATED STORAGE for aerating and maintaining moisture in grain, and they can
A more consistent environment is achieved thanks to science and typically keep it within 1% to 2% of desired moisture content,”
innovative construction. The building process begins as the Aagard said.
Dome Technology team inflates a PVC airform that provides the Steel bins are not insulated and are thus prone to greater
‘form’ for what will become the concrete shell; the airform will interior temperature swings, creating condensation problems. In
remain in place indefinitely to provide weatherproofing for the contrast, the combination of a DomeSilo’s insulated concrete
structure. With the airform inflated, polyurethane-foam insulation shell and an aeration system could preserve the life of grain at
is applied to the inside to temporarily provide rigidity and to lower operational costs.
protect the concrete shell for the lifetime of the structure. “Grain storage with proper aeration could increase the life of
Shotcrete is then applied, with rebar providing reinforcement. storage up to three years or more. With improper aeration, the
With construction complete, a dome staves off some life of grain could only last months if the grain contains high
boundary issues steel bins and traditional silos face. First, the amounts of moisture,” Stoker said.
airform acts as an impermeable membrane that keeps moisture at If product is coming in hot because it’s been sitting in the sun
bay. Second, the heat-sink properties of the reinforced concrete post-harvest or was delivered via truck or rail, an aeration system
shell combined with the outer layer of polyurethane foam can be designed to pull off heat, Stoker said. On the other hand,
prevents extreme interior temperature fluctuation. These if product is processed and then immediately placed in the dome,
features reduce heating and cooling of the walls and air inside, the system can be designed to bring the temperature to its
minimizing or eliminating condensation that damages grain’s desired condition or the system can be designed to maintain
integrity. product coming in from truck or rail. Also, aeration costs can
also be less expensive in a dome because of its seamless,
AERATION SYSTEMS insulated construction and thermal mass.
Besides maintaining integrity, a major advantage of climate control For even greater climate control, Dome Technology’s team can
is that businesses can safely store product until demand drives up also design higher-power aeration systems that will drive out
prices. “Our solution reduces the risk of mould and mildew and excess moisture.
MAY 2017

allows grains to be stored for longer time periods,” Stoker said. “However your facility operates, a DomeSilo can be designed
How much longer depends on the location, temperature and to handle all your storage needs with a much more efficient
humidity. Maintaining proper moisture content is key for multiple system than what a traditional structure may require,” Stoker
DCi reasons, including increased revenue. “The farmer wants the said.

56
 NEWS
SAMSON feeders for Algerian fertilizer company
AUMUND FRANCE AND SAMSON MATERIALS Stainless steel fixings are fitted throughout and electrical
HANDLING TO PROVIDE TWO ADDITIONAL SAMSON® sensors and exposed sensitive components are treated with

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

FEEDERS TO SORFERT, ALGERIA clear plastic resin.
For free-flowing particles the brush strips provide a
In co-operation with AUMUND France, SAMSON Materials primary seal to maintain directionality of the material flow.
Handling has announced an order from Sorfert in Algeria for The secondary seal strip further prevents material ingress
two identical Samson® material feeder units designed to into the chain.
receive bulk prilled urea from 30-tonne tipping trucks. These In a busy port environment equipment is heavily used and
new Samson® feeders will discharge into the existing must be robust. These new Samson® feeders also include a
SAMSON shiploaders which have been operational on site at sacrificial truck impact bar to protect the equipment from
the Aznew Industrial complex since 2010. any impact when positioning loaders.
Sorfert Algeria is a joint venture between OCI N. V and
Sonatrach the state-owned oil and gas authority. AUMUND ABOUT THE AUMUND GROUP
France has been assisting Sorfert Algeria to develop the The AUMUND Group is active worldwide. The conveying
mobile materials handling process for many years through the and storage specialist has special expertise at its disposal
installation of various pieces of equipment. when dealing with bulk materials. With their high degree of
The Samson® material feeders developed for this project individuality, both its technically sophisticated as well as
are a rubber belted apron design mounted onto a pneumatic innovative products have contributed to the AUMUND
wheeled axle under gear. They will convey the prilled urea Group today being a major force in many areas of conveying
on a 3m-wide oil- and fat-resistant belt and discharge via an and storage technology. The manufacturing companies
integral centralizing head chute to the SAMSON shiploader. AUMUND Fördertechnik GmbH (Rheinberg, Germany),
The twin feeder configuration chosen by Sorfert SCHADE Lagertechnik GmbH (Gelsenkirchen, Germany),
considerably reduces downtime. While one Samson® feeder SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd. (Ely, England), as well as
is receiving the prilled urea the subsequent truck can position AUMUND Logistic GmbH (Rheinberg, Germany) are
itself to discharge to the other Samson® feeder. The buffer consolidated under the umbrella of the AUMUND Group. In
facility of each feeder ensures that material is still conveying conjunction with the headquarters of the manufacturing
to the shiploader while this repositioning occurs. companies, the global conveying and storage technology
Due to the corrosive nature of the material, these new business is spearheaded through a total of ten locations in
Samson® feeders are fitted with a number of enhanced design Asia, Europe, North and South America and a total of five
and anti-corrosion features to prolong the longevity of the warehouses in Germany, USA, Brazil, Hong Kong and Saudi
equipment and maintain performance and productivity. Arabia.

Samson® mobile material feeder (example).

MAY 2017

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NEWS
Liebherr offers fuel-saving calculator for XPower wheel loaders
v the Liebherr fuel-saving calculator is an online application loaders set new standards when it comes to fuel consumption
available at no additional cost; and efficiency.
v for XPower® wheel loaders from the L 550 to the L 586, up- The fuel-saving calculator for Liebherr earthmoving equipment
to-date average diesel consumption is a free online tool that enables users to
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

figures are now available online and calculate their potential savings. Numerous
updated day by day; and machine types from the earthmoving
v fuel consumption is up to 30% less than product range, including mobile excavators,
for comparable machines. duty cycle crawler cranes and bulldozers,
are already on file. Data for piling and
Fuel consumption information for all drilling rigs, as well as material handling
XPower wheel loaders is now available in machines from the LH range, are available in
the Liebherr fuel-saving calculator. The different configurations for applications in
consumption figures, compiled from live recycling and scrapping as well as for the
data, are constantly updated and provide forest and timber industry.
information that demonstrates the
outstanding efficiency of the XPower wheel LIVE DATA VIA THE LIEBHERR TELEMATICS
loaders. All six models from the L 550 SYSTEM LIDAT
XPower to the L 586 XPower require an LiDAT, the Liebherr telematics system,
average of 30% less fuel than comparable supplies the data on which the fuel-saving
wheel loaders. The L 566 XPower is a calculator is based. Using live data from
particularly good example of the XPower LiDAT, the average consumption per hour
wheel loaders’ fuel efficiency. Indications are for each machine type is calculated. This
that during the almost 180,000 operating works on the basis of total fuel
hours completed by all L 566 XPower® units consumption and total number of operating
in use, the average fuel consumption is only hours. Data can be gathered from machines
11.5 litres of diesel per operating hour. registered on the LiDAT system.
Even the largest XPower wheel loader, the L To calculate personal savings the
586 XPower, which weighs in at over 32 tonnes, clearly calculator needs values for average fuel consumption, annual
demonstrates its fuel consumption efficiency: under tough operating hours and fuel price. The potential fuel saving is then
conditions, it requires a mere 15.3 litres of diesel per operating calculated by comparing the data entered with the average for all
hour on average. With these figures, Liebherr’s XPower wheel relevant LiDAT machines.
MAY 2017

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 A breath of

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

fresh air
pneumatic bulk handling
equipment

The 600tph Multiport M600 installed

at Salalah Flour Mills in Oman.

Unloaders from NEUERO make their mark in the Middle East

Neuero Industrietechnik für Förderanlagen GmbH (NEUERO) NEUERO is a specialist in pneumatic and mechanical bulk
offers turnkey solutions in the bulk solids handling field, and has material handling, and manufactures continuous ship unloaders
particular expertise in pneumatic handling of cargo. (CSU), a highly environmentally friendly solution in ship
NEUERO operates according to the ‘Made in Germany’ discharging activity, and shiploaders
tradition, providing high quality, environmentally friendly and NEUERO is global client oriented, and its equipment is
durable loading and unloading equipment for industrial plants, flexible and cost effective. The company uses only state-of-the-
silo terminals, power plants, aluminium smelters, malting plants, art technology, and the reliability of its solutions has ensured the
MAY 2017

feed mills, etc. The company has been in business for over 100 success of all realized projects.
years, during which time it has supplied reliable, high-quality NEUERO has its own 6,550m2 manufacturing facility plus a
equipment for crucial projects in industrial plants around the new logistical area which was added beginning of 2013 in Melle.
world. Equipped with its own machining shop, painting shop and DCi

59
 The 600tph Multiport M600 installed
at Salalah Flour Mills in Oman.
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

laboratory, NEUERO is in a position to provide continuous NEUERO is an ISO 9001 certified company and received the
engineering solutions to its customers. OHSAS 18001 certification in 2013.
Worldwide presence is assured with the operation of NEUERO works together with well-known German sub-
NEUERO Corporation in Chicago/USA as well as its partnership suppliers like SEW, Atlas Copco, Danfoss, Rothe Erde and others.
with Brazilian companies for grain and mineral handling —
Maquinas Condor and Isomonte. RECENT ORDERS
Using expert know how for upgrades, retrofits or complete Neuero has successfully delivered and installed a repeat order for
new installations, NEUERO’s goal is always the same — solving Salalah Flour Mills (SFM) in Oman, Globemarine in Saudi Arabia
the tasks effectively on budget and on time. The result is quality and to GCSS in Egypt.
solution engineering that respects and protects the
environmental, health and safety (HSE) requirements of its SFM — Salalah Oman
customers’ companies and their communities. NEUERO supplied a 600tph (tonnes per hour) Multiport M600,

The 600tph Multiport M600 installed

at Salalah Flour Mills in Oman.
MAY 2017

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

mounted on tyres, with its newest generation of Seven GSD mobile unloaders are already in
electric travelling system. The unit features: a 30m operation at Globemarine in Damman.
horizontal boom for the efficient unloading of
Panamax ships; 15-tonne auxiliary payloader winch
to lift payloaders to enable efficient hatch
clean-up; three outlets for efficient logistic with
trucks; and the possibility to lower the boom to
the ground for easy control and safe maintenance.

Globemarine
Contract for ten pieces of equipment: seven GSD

Multiport M700 at
Damietta in Egypt.
mobile unloaders are already in operation and
three 400tph Multiport M400s are being
erected in Dammam.

GCSS – Egypt – Damietta

A 700tph Multiport M700 on rails, with
shuttle conveyor to connect to the quay
conveyor.

GCSS – Egypt – Alameria

Two special Multiport M400s, on rubber tyres,
with a 20m height designed to pass under
port structures. Fitted with a 10-tonne
payloader winch, and new travelling steering
and electrical drive system. With two truck
outlets and 27m horizontal boom.

Two special Multiport M400s

are in operation for GCSS in
Alameria in Egypt.
MAY 2017

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 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
Portable pneumatic unloader meets the
demands of the developing grain industry

GENMA has a great deal of experience in the manufacture systems. The airflows can be auto-adjustable, which can
and delivery of pneumatic ship unloaders. The company’s effectively minimize the wearing on the pipe and material
GPU series, which has capacities ranging from 80tph (tonnes crushing rate.
per hour) to 600tph (single pipe), equipped with multi-stage Currently, there are two main ways for clearance in
turbo blower, can save nearly 30% energy compared to Chinese terminals. One is a very primitive method, to hire
unloaders using roots blowers. GENMA has delivered extra dustmen; the other is clearance with the assistance of
projects to grain and cement industries in different countries. skid-steer loaders.
By visiting terminals, grain and logistics companies, The GPP series of unloaders can also contribute to clear-
GENMA has discovered that there is huge demand for small up inside the vessel holds. Because of the unit’s small size
portable pneumatic unloaders, especially in the grain industry. and flexibility, it can be transferred to any area where
In China, due to the scattered production and trade in unloading, loading or transfer is needed — it is truly versatile.
grain industry, grain materials have to go through a variety of
transportation methods and logistics hubs before finally being ABOUT GENMA
delivered to shippers. These include, but are not limited to, The brand GENMA belongs to Rainbow Heavy Industries
short haul vehicle transport, grain depot, small and medium- (RHI), which mainly provides material handling solutions.
sized terminals and specialized grain terminals. Therefore, in Aside from its expertise in container handling solutions,
each process there’s urgent demand for portable pneumatic GENMA is also expanding broadly in the bulk handling
unloader. business.
GENMA developed a series of portable pneumatic The headquarters of GENMA is located in Shanghai,
unloaders, which can be widely used in bulk grain handling China. The manufacturing, technology and R&D centres are
and transportation, and can also assist the clearance. These in Nantong, China. To better serve customers, GENMA has
unloaders are usually customized and adapted to the client’s set up sales and service contact offices in Singapore, India,
environment. Belgium and Canada. Besides that, its agents in Asia, Africa,
This series — the GENMA Bulk GPP series of portable South America and Middle East can also provide a quick
MAY 2017

pneumatic unloaders — offers capacities ranging from 15tph response service.

to 200tph. The series — as well as the pneumatic ship GENMA’s methodology is to help multi-industry clients
unloaders — are equipped with multistage turbo blower benefit from its service.
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63
 Pneumatic or Mechanical
Ship LLoaders
oaders & Unloaders
Port
Port Equipment - Turnkey
Turnkey
u Projects
Projects

PNEUMATIC UNLOADING :
From 100 to 800 tons/hour
Average efficiency 75%-80%
All sizes of vessels
All types of grains

PO
PORTABLE
RTAB
A LE GGRAIN
RAIN PU
PUMPS
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PNEUMATIC BA
EUMATIIC B RG E
BARGE LLOADER
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MPORTER
up to 270
270 t/h UNLOADER
UNLOADE
A R up to 600 t/h up to 2000 t/h up to 1500 t/h

A win-win solution
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VIGAN AN Engineering s.a. RRue ue de l’Industrie,
l’Industrie, 16 - 1400 Nivelles
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Tél.: +32 67 89 50 41 • Fax
Fax : +32 67 89 50 60 • www
www.vigan.com
.vigan.com • inf
[email protected]
[email protected]
VIGAN builds strong relationships with Morocco

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Morocco is a significant wheat producer, but also a major wheat
VIGAN pneumatic
importer as its consumption is far above the production rate.
unloaders installed in
Moreover, its location and weather conditions cause instability in
Casablanca 20 years ago.
production.
The cereal import regulating government body, ONICL
(Office National Interprofessionnel des Céréales et des
Légumineuses), makes sure that the country does not run out of
wheat.
Usually, once Moroccan farmers have sold all of their wheat,
ONICL completes its stocks by reducing the import tariffs and
making it easier for importers, namely coming from France and
Northern Europe countries, United States and Canada.
ONICL has four grain silos located within the ports of
Casablanca, Safi, Nador and Agadir.
These silos, managed by its subsidiary SOSIPO (Société des
Silos Portuaires), control the unloading and transfer operations of
grain imports.

VIGAN’S ROLE IN MOROCCAN GRAIN IMPORTS

VIGAN has been active in Morocco for 35 years and, notably, has
established strong relationships with SOSIPO.
The first VIGAN pneumatic unloaders (two 160tph [tonnes
per hour] NIVs) were installed in 1982 in the Port of Nador.
Later, in 1995, SOSIPO bought a further two VIGAN
pneumatic unloaders — type NIV 250tph — for the Port of
Casablanca.
In 2004, a new order for one NIV 300tph completed the
series in the Port of Safi.
All these machines are still in operation and VIGAN is proud
to continue servicing SOSIPO with the necessary spare parts.
In this context, two years ago, VIGAN carried out
modifications on the two NIV 250tph from 1995 in the Port of
Casablanca. VIGAN installed new multi-stage turbo blowers and
electrical cabinets with frequency inverters to control the turbo
blowers.
This has led to significant savings in energy consumption,
thanks to:
v direct coupling instead of transmission belt; v better control of hold cleaning due to the frequency variation;
v suppression of the mechanical air regulator. The air regulation and
is now controlled by the inverter; and v lower necessary maintenance level resulting in reduced
v when the suction is stopped by the operator or by the maintenance costs;
locking system, the inverter stops the blower, leading to
additional cost savings during stoppages. This is not the first time that VIGAN has suggested to its
The machine already enjoyed very good capacity rates, but customers that they should put a new turbo-blower on their old
these modifications also resulted in: machines, leading to energy savings estimated at ±30%.
For ten years, this system of multi-stage turbo blower with
frequency inverter has been a standard design on all VIGAN NIV
VIGAN multi-stage turbo blower.
models.

A NEW UNLOADER IN CASABLANCA

The Port of Casablanca is one of the largest ports in Morocco,
and the grain trade is mostly related to wheat and corn imports.
Two share this activity in Port of Casablanca: SOSIPO and Mass
Céréales Al Maghreb, a port operator that uses a new terminal
for grain unloading and storage.
They are both equipped with unloading gantries, conveyors for
the transfer of grain, silos for the storage of cereals, and
MAY 2017

truck/railcar loading stations.

VIGAN has just installed its sixth machine in Morocco, which
has been in operation since January 2017 at Mass Céréales Al
Maghreb. DCi

65
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

VIGAN NIV 600tph/500kW

installed at the new terminal
of Mass Céréales Al Maghreb
in the Port of Casablanca.

The pneumatic unloading machine type NIV 600tph/500kW is With two electrical motors of 250kW, 400V, 50Hz with
on rails and has a rail span of 16m. The chain conveyor is frequency inverter, the unloader has two four-stage turbo
equipped with five pneumatic valves, allowing either the alternative blowers with direct transmission and coupling.
loading of three lines of trucks, the loading of railcars, or the This standard design VIGAN machine is particularly well-
feeding of the two quay conveyors to transfer grain to silos. suited for final hold-clean up, and was principally chosen by the
VIGAN NIV is equipped with a boom of 30m length, and is customer for this reason. Since then, VIGAN is proud that its
designed for the unloading of vessels up to 70,000dwt of wheat equipment not only satisfies customer requirements, but has also
and corn. been chosen to work every time a vessel needs to be unloaded.

Pneumat Systems’ HopperPopper

ASSISTING BULK MATERIAL CLEAN-OUT FOR RAILCARS AND
TRUCKS
The HopperPopper from Pneumat Systems assists in the
unloading of DDGs (distiller’s dried grains) and meal products
from railcars or trucks by combining the power of compressed
air blast technology with precise hydraulic controls. Through
patent pending technology, the wirelessly controlled
HopperPopper allows operators to position a hydraulically driven
blast probe in the hopper compartment, blasting out bulk material
bridges and hang-ups. The HopperPopper eliminates problems
that come from banging, pounding and poking railcars or trucks,
while decreasing unload times, reducing labour costs and
minimizing worker compensation risks.
Pneumat’s extensive experience — combined with custom
engineered, innovative products — has been helping solve bulk
material flow problems since 1982. Pneumat Systems products
are designed to keep bulk materials moving in the ethanol, grain,
cement, feed and coal industries. Pneumat’s equipment solutions
are designed for use with various materials including DDGs,
powdered cement, coal, fertilizer, powered chemicals, minerals,
ash, biomass and more.
MAY 2017

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Pneumatic unloader plays major role in solving pollution when unloading grain

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT
POLLUTION DURING GRAIN UNLOADING Fig. 1: Preparing to unload dried tapioca chips.
OPERATIONS?
Grain is quite a typical dry bulk cargo;
unlike container handling, it is easy to
cause pollution during grain unloading
operations. Cassava, for example, is one
of the most polluting cargoes, especially
in non-enclosed operations, as its starch
content can be as high at 70–75%.
We hear a lot about pollution during
grain unloading, but do we really know
how terrible it can be? Recently the staff
of GENMA Bulk visited one port in
China and experienced first-hand the
true pollution situation in the frontline.
As Figure1 shows, the working
environment is very bad. Even with a
helmet, gauze mask and protective suit,
the worker’s face, eye socket and nasal
cavity are still covered with dust after
operation. Working continuously in this
environment can cause serious damage to health. There is also contains very high levels of starch, without the protection of a
significant cleaning up that needs to be carried out after skin, so is generally exported in slices, cubes or pellets — dust
unloading is completed. The ground and the vessel are both pollution is therefore very high.
covered in dust. Dust pollution to the water must also be Most developed countries choose enclosed unloading
considered. solutions — including pneumatic systems — to avoid pollution.
Quite apart from humanitarian considerations, such pollution In China, most users choose to use portal cranes to unload using
is bad news from a business point of view. It leads to complaints grabs, and this is the major cause of pollution. Along with
from local residents, and penalties from government, and the enhanced environmental awareness, more and more Chinese
need for supervision. The result can be the suspension of ports and logistics companies are realizing that it is imperative to
unloading activities until the problem is solved. While some may control the dust pollution, otherwise losses from claims and
be callous enough to ignore the health and safety of workers, government supervision will be incalculable.
nobody will neglect financial losses incurred during suspension of
operations. In the worst-case scenario, businesses can be shut MINIMIZE POLLUTION, MAXIMIZE PROFIT — AND MAKE IT
down if pollution is not addressed. SUSTAINABLE
So how can we reduce dust pollution? There are two major
NON-ENCLOSED OPERATIONS AT THE ROOT OF GRAIN steps that can be taken — one before the cargo leaves the
UNLOADING POLLUTION vessel, and the other after the cargo is out of the vessel.
Levels of pollution vary according to the cargo handled. Cassava One solution when handling the cargo before it leaves the
vessel is to change non-
enclosed unloading into
Fig. 2: Grain unloading using a enclosed unloading.
pneumatic ship-unloader. Using a portal crane can
lead to material loss and
terrible dust emissions.
Using a pneumatic ship
unloader that operates
in a closed environment
ensures that dust
pollution is minimized.
GENMA offers its
GPU series of pneumatic
ship-unloaders that are
equipped with multi-
stage turbo blowers,
which are more
MAY 2017

automated and make

very little noise.
Once the cargo has
left the vessel, another DCi

67
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

dust-control measure is to use environmental hoppers in place of Fig 4: GENMA

ordinary hoppers. As shown in Figure 3, using an ordinary environmental hopper
hopper without any dust-control measures causes serious dust operating with no dust
emissions. leakage.
GENMA’s environmental hopper uses the ‘FLEX-FLAP’
dedusting system and is equipped with four efficient dedusting
units to create downward flow which is no less than 1m/s via
induced-draught. In this way, no dust will overflow or leak. After
this, the gathered dust will be blown back into the hopper. These
measures ensure that there is virtually no fugitive dust.
In 2015, GENMA delivered three of its environmental hoppers
to APM Terminal, which is owned by Maersk Group. One of
these three is shown in operation in Figure 4, and shows clearly
that there is virtually no dust leakage.

These two dust-control measures can be used either together

or separately, depending on the available budget. Both
Fig 3: Dried tapioca chips unloaded with the
significantly reduce dust pollution to make the business
portal crane and ordinary hopper.
sustainable and maximize profit.

“A man who stops advertising to

save money is like a man who stops
a clock to save time”
– Henry Ford

To find out how you can benefit from advertising in the world’s only monthly dry
bulk publication contact Jason Chinnock or Andrew Hucker-Brown on:
Tel: +27 31 583 4360 Fax:+27 31 566 4502 Email: [email protected]
 Breaking down

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

barriers to
biomass
handling

Louise Dodds-Ely

Conductix-Wampfler helps power growth in the US wood pellet market

In 2012, Fram Renewal Fuels, a Georgia-based wood pellet industrial wood pellets that are used as a substitute for coal in
manufacturer, expanded its operations in the city of Hazlehurst, power plants and premium pellets used in pellet stoves and
Georgia, USA. Astec, Inc., headquartered in Chattanooga, pellet boilers for heating. Wood pellets are traditionally
Tennessee, financed the complete pellet plant project including manufactured from wood waste, including sawdust, shavings, and
both portable and mobile plant equipment. For that initial wood chips, that results from wood processing activities. They
project, Conductix-Wampfler supplied three magnetic coupler can also be produced from unprocessed harvested wood at a
motor driven reels with fibre optic cable to be used on two bulk generally higher cost.
stackers and a tripper-conveyor at the plant. The growth of US wood pellet exports has been
Later, in 2014, Larry Thomas, Senior Project Manager at concentrated in the southeastern part of the United States,
Kolberg-Pioneer, reached out to Conductix-Wampfler regarding which has an abundant supply of raw material and relatively low
a similar project. Kolberg-Pioneer, located in Yankton, South shipping costs to Europe.
Dakota, had been given the go-ahead to secure the equipment According to Global Trade Information Services, the United
for a new wood pellet project that Astec Industries was designing States was the leading exporter of wood pellets to the EU in
and building. This new project included a complete wood pellet 2015, capturing 59% of the EU’s import market. Most of the
plant for Highland Pellets just outside of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. wood pellets produced in the US are bound for the UK’s power
With the global demand for wood pellets increasing steadily plants. This is primarily due to material availability, low
since 2007 due to carbon reduction policies, US manufacturers production, and logistics costs. One major user of US wood
like Highland Pellets have been responding to this growing pellets is Drax Power Limited (part of Drax Group Plc). Drax
MAY 2017

market. US wood pellet exports doubled from 1.6mt (million supplies about 8% of the UK’s electricity needs.
short tons) [approximately 22 trillion BTUs] in 2012 to 3.2mt in For the Pine Bluff pellet project, Conductix-Wampfler
2013. provided three magnetic coupler motor-driven reels designed to
The wood pellet market includes two primary sectors: handle 250 feet of Prysmian #4/0 AWG, three conductor cable, DCi

69
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

type G-GC. This cable included 2kV-rated power conductors and We received favourable references concerning their work.
12 optical fibre conductors. These reels provide power and Conductix-Wampfler was able to provide the cable and custom-
control via the fibres to run the stackers used at this plant. The design the reeling system. We were impressed with the
resulting wood pellets are shipped to Drax Biomass via the Port Conductix-Wampfler team throughout every single phase of this
of Greater Baton Rouge, LA for their UK power plants. project.”
Thomas explained that “Conductix-Wampfler was chosen to Given the positive impact that wood pellets have on global
supply the cable reeling system due to their extensive experience energy picture and on US exports, Conductix-Wampfler is proud
with the use of fibre-optic cables in the bulk handling industry. to be part of this growing industry.

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Keeping it clean with rotary brush cleaner from Horizon Conveyor Equipment

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

UK-based company Horizon Conveyor
Equipment has developed a belt-powered
rotary brush cleaner which can also be adapted
to run with an electric motor. The cone brush
system is different to standard rotary brush
cleaners as the unique design of the brush
allows material to be cleaned off the conveyor
belt without clogging up the brush. Another
unique feature is the cone shape which allows
the brush to be self-adjusting without having
separate spring devices to take up the wear on
the bristles, keeping the brush in contact with Anti-static cone
the conveyor belt at all times. brush cleaner
Alan Bowler, Managing Director of Horizon installed on a
Conveyor Equipment, said: “Since first 1,400mm-wide
developing the cone brush cleaner four years biomass
ago, we’ve successfully sold this brush system conveyor.
into many different market sectors, conveying
various different types of materials on both flat
and chevron conveyor belts”.

CONVEYORS TRANSPORTING BIOMASS AND DUSTY MATERIALS: distance of 400–500mm away from the brush and a more
The transition to renewable energy products, such as biomass, acceptable level of 200–400 volts at 50mm distance from the
which is being handled at ports and power stations, has grown brush.
quite rapidly in the UK and throughout Europe over the past five In addition to the cone brush system, Horizon has developed
years. Conventional belt cleaners are not always the best option anti-static strips for sealing the backs and sides of conveyor
for removing the biomass dust particles that tend to stick to the chutes which help to eliminate fine airborne particles escaping
conveyor belt leaving a film of dust. The dust is easily carried out whilst the conveyor is in operation. Following recent successful
through the back and sides of the chute and is then released into trials on one conveyor at another large UK Biomass plant they
the atmosphere. This airborne dust creates a health and safety were subsequently retro-fitted to a further 32 chutes on the
risk with occupational health respiratory diseases which can same plant.
affect staff working on site. To complement the cone brush cleaner, Horizon also
Three years ago Horizon was approached by RWE Tilbury, the recommends its range of anti-static primary belt cleaners fitted
UK’s first dedicated biomass power station, to look at reducing with polyurethane blades. When fitted in conjunction with the
the numerous problems associated with dust particles. Working cone brush cleaner, the primary scraper will significantly reduce
to strict Atex Zone 22 specifications, Horizon developed the the amount of material being carried back.
existing cone brush design to help reduce static generation which These new PU blades have a surface resistivity less than
in turn significantly reduced the static build up. 10 Ω/sq eliminating the excess build-up of static electricity within
Together with the assistance of a West Midlands-based static the component. This brings the PU scraper blades in-line with
testing company, Horizon discovered that the standard cone clause 4.5.3 – Conductivity criteria for conveyor belts, in CLC/TR
brush bristles generated a static value of 4,000–5,000 volts at 50404:2003 Electrostatics – Code of practice for the avoidance of
400–500mm distance from the brush and 5,000-8,000 volts at a hazards due to static electricity.
50mm distance from the brush, which potentially could ignite Horizon Conveyor Equipment is a UK-based manufacturer
biomass dust. After developing the new brush design, the static producing a wide range of high quality conveyor equipment
values have now significantly reduced down to zero volts at a including steel and HDPE-plastic conveyor idlers, belt cleaners,
rotary brush cleaners and spillage equipment supplying
throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide to the mining and
Anti-static sealing strips seen
quarrying industries, ports and power stations.
outside the back of the chute.

Anti-static sealing strips on

the inside of the chute.
MAY 2017

DCi

71
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

PHB Weserhütte fuel handling system for largest-ever biomass power plant
PHB Weserhütte S.A.U.
has been recently
awarded a contract to
supply the biomass
handling system for the
Tees Renewable Energy
Plant Project, located in
Teesside, United
Kingdom, by the joint
venture Técnicas
Reunidas (TR) & Samsung
C&T.
With this new
contract, PHB
Weserhütte is
strengthening its position
in the renewable energy
sector as a global
supplier of materials
handling equipment with
its own state-of-the-art
technology. by the materials to be handled, the project will be designed
The scope of supply of the PHB Weserhütte contract according to latest ATEX and DSEAR requirements, with special
comprises design, fabrication, transportation and erection of the designs for dust filters, vacuum cleaning system and explosion-
complete fuel handling system of the new 299MWe power plant. relief panels.
This power plant will be the largest ever biomass-fuelled power Regarding the fire protection measures, linear temperature
station in the world. systems will be supplied in silos and transfer points. Continuous
The fuel handling system will be designed to handle both gas monitoring systems will also be supplied inside the silos to
woodchips and wood pellets at an annual capacity higher than maintain the oxygen content and avoid fires.
1.8mt (million tonnes). British local companies will participate in the manufacturing
Specifically, PHB Weserhütte will supply: and installation of the equipment. The complete instrumentation
v ten air-supported belt conveyors; and control system will be developed by TSK Electronica y
v 23 conventional conveyors; Electricidad, parent company of PHB Weserhütte.
v 16 steel silos to store 252,000m3, diameter 27 metres; PHB Weserhütte is part of TSK, a global company that
v vibrating floor below silos; specializes in the execution of complex projects at an
v 64 vibrating feeders; international level, providing its own technology for different
v disc screens; sectors in industry such as electrical infrastructures, industrial
v woodchip belt dryer; plants, energy generation power plants (conventional and
v vessel reception system; renewable), oil & gas, water treatment plants or installations for
v truck unloading system; and handling and storage of raw materials. In 2016 TSK achieved a
v as-received and as-fired sampling systems. turnover of €900 million, with more than 1,000 professionals and
international presence in more than 35 countries.
Taking into account the explosive nature of the dust generated PHB Weserhütte has more than 50 years in the material
handling industry. It has vast
experience designing and manufacturing
the following equipment and systems:
v bulk marine terminals;
v belt conveyors;
v ship and barge loaders;
v ecological hoppers;
v stacker units;
v scraper-reclaimer units (bridge
reclaimers, portal reclaimers,
semi-portal reclaimers, side
reclaimers, etc);
v bucketwheel stacker reclaimers;
v pipe conveyors;
v articulated boom slewing cranes;
MAY 2017

v longitudinal stockyards and blending

beds; and
DCi v circular stockyards and blending beds.

72
CASE wheel loaders fit the bill for Imog waste management facilities

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

CASE is the loader supplier
of choice for Belgian waste
management company Imog.
Its loaders meet the high
expectations of facilities that
operate virtually round the
clock in harsh conditions, and
can’t afford down time.
Imog provides integrated
waste management services
to 11 municipalities across
the Province of West
Flanders, in Belgium. The
company aims to contribute
to the sustainable and socially
responsible use of materials and energy by helping the flammable materials such as wood chips, as the exhaust’s
communities it serves to minimize waste, recover raw materials maximum temperature of 500°C is 200°C lower than it would be
and generate renewable energy. To provide this service, Imog with a DPF. This is particularly useful in facilities such as Imog’s,
operates two treatment facilities: Imog Moen where it processes where the F Series wheel loaders are handling flammable
waste for composting, deals with bottom ash, wood waste and materials such as paper, cardboard and wood. Another feature
landfill, and sorts bulky waste; and Imog Harelbeke for PMD that is extremely valuable in waste handling applications is the
waste (packaging made of plastic or metal, and drink cartons), CASE Heavy-duty Cooling option, which prevents clogging of the
paper and cardboard. radiator.
Waste management operations like Imog have high The F Series wheel loaders purchased by Imog have been
expectations of their equipment, as they typically work virtually specified and adapted for the specific conditions of Imog’s
round the clock, seven days a week, in very harsh conditions. facilities, and feature radar and reversing camera for safe and easy
Imog regularly renews its equipment to maximize its fleet’s manoeuvring in the busy sites, pressurized cab to protect the
productivity, and it has been a loyal CASE customer for the past operators in the dusty conditions, protection for the front
20 years. The most recent CASE additions to its fleet were five windscreen for safety.
F Series wheel loaders purchased over the last two years. The Another important reason for Imog’s loyalty for CASE is its
three 821F and two 1021F units are at work in Imog’s two dealer, Delvano NV for its know-how, after-sales service and the
recycling facilities, loading trucks and handling a variety of experience of its technicians. Over the years, it has built a close
materials, such as paper, PMD, wood, compost and plastics and relationship, as Joachim Vanlerberghe, Delvano Sales Director,
loading them on the production lines. explains: “I believe that in order to provide good support to our
Jeroen De Craemere, Purchasing Manager and Project customers, it is essential to know their business very well and to
Engineer at Imog explains the consistent choice of CASE wheel be in touch regularly, so that we can anticipate their needs and
loaders for its operations: “We need our wheel loaders to be work with them to ensure their fleet always matches their
very powerful, but with fuel consumption as low as possible. requirements and works at its best. That’s why I keep in close
They also have to provide great visibility, as they work in a busy personal contact with Imog’s operators and management team.”
environment. CASE wheel loaders give us all this, and more. Delvano NV sells and supports the full line of CASE
And our operators really appreciate the excellent comfort of equipment in the provinces of South West Flanders and south
these machines.” East Flanders and Hainaut, and is a sub-dealer of CASE Dealer
F Series wheel loaders bristle with features ideal for waste Key-Tec since 2012.
handling applications, from the Hi-eSCR technology and rear- CASE Construction Equipment sells and supports a full line of
mounted engine to the heavy-duty cooling cube. CASE’s HI- construction equipment around the world, including
eSCR technology doesn’t require EGR or particulate filter, it only loader/backhoes, excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders,
uses built-for-life-components, and it is maintenance free and fuel vibratory compaction rollers, crawler dozers, skid steers,
efficient. Very importantly, it has the advantage of safety near compact track loaders and rough-terrain forklifts. Through CASE
dealers,
customers have
access to a true
professional
partner with
world-class
equipment and
aftermarket
support,
MAY 2017

industry-leading
warranties and
flexible
financing. DCi

75
 TMSA
TMSA are specialists in the design
Ship Loaders
and manufacturing of ship loaders
for a vast variety of bulk materials,
ranging from agricultural to mineral
commodities. Our In-House
Design Engineers are Experts in
Loading Solutions, and will meet
every customer unique equipment
requirements.

Iron
Ir Ore
on Ore 4,000 tph

• High Capacity
Ship Loaders for Dry
Bulk Materials

• Engineered
Grain/wood chips 2,500 tph To Order - On Rail
Mounted or Stationary
Models

• Low Dust and

Noise Emissions
Grain 2,000 tph each

• Low
Maintenance
Grain 1,500 tph Requirements

• Simple
Operation

• Reliable and
Lifetime Service

Grain 2,000 tph

Porto Alegre RS - Brasil | Belo Horizonte MG - Brasil

São Paulo SP - Brasil | Buenos Aires - Argentina
Sugar 3,000 tph
www.tmsa.com.br
PEINER SMAG focuses on bioenergy

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

BIOMASS — A GLOBAL BUSINESS
Biomass has quickly become a global
business due to the worldwide interest
in modern energy. PEINER SMAG
Lifting Technologies GmbH (PEINER
SMAG) is already well prepared for this PEINER Motor Orange
greater demand in renewable energy Peel Grab, Type MMGL-4,
sources. The major manufacturer of handling domestic waste.
lifting equipment offers individual
solutions for the handling of biomass
by providing the right grab for almost
all lifting devices. All of the PEINER
SMAG grabs have been designed with
sustainable and ecological construction.
The company has recently
implemented an integrated
management system (IMS) which
combines the individual areas of quality,
environment, protection of
employment and energy into one grab
unit. This new system was successfully certified by TÜV Süd in
accordance with ISO 9001, 14001, 50001 and OHAS 18001. PEINER Motor Orange Peel Grab, Type MMGL-4,
handling rubbish at a waste-to-energy plant.
BETTER EQUIPMENT MEANS BETTER RESULTS
The technical and economical growth potential of renewable
energy for the production of power, heat and fuels is substantial,
with biomass covering over 10% of the world’s energy demand.
The transshipment of biomass volume in ports and terminals,
waste-to-energy plants, timber mills and co-generation plants is
ever increasing. Apart from agricultural goods such as corn, sugar
cane, canola and other food crops, biomass products such as
timber, bark, saw mill waste, wood chips and pellets are handled.
In addition, organic waste from household rubbish and residual
products from the food industry also play an important role in
the handling of biomass.
With its wide range of applications, PEINER grabs can handle
all kinds of biomass materials, with certain grabs tailored towards
the special needs and requirements of particular industries. In
the timber handling industries the use of hydraulic and electro-
hydraulic timber grabs are primarily common place, with
operators benefit from their high-load capacity, high closing force
and special shaped tongs for the handling of timber logs. These
key features enable the grab to handle logs in any variety,
whether round timber, bundled and even single logs safely and
efficiently.
When handling bulk materials such as wood chips and wood
pellets, crop or organic waste, motor grabs or four-rope grabs
are generally used. Due to their technical features PEINER
motor grabs offer numerous advantages, especially for their use in incinerator plants. The PEINER MMG/MMGL series of motor
‘orange peel’ grabs is already successfully established within the
PEINER Motor Dual Scoop Grab, Type incineration market. Its specially designed construction allows
MTGL-3, working in an ash bunker. for fast operation and is highly energy efficient. The optimal
installation height, low centre of gravity and robust design
ensures the flexible use of the MMG/MMGL series. Thanks to
individually driven shell segments, the motor ‘orange peel’ grab
adapts to suit the materials being handled. The shell segment
design and the number of shell segments on the grab can easily
MAY 2017

be adapted to meet customer requirements. Hydraulic pipes,

wiring and connections as well as the cylinder barrel and piston
rod are fully protected from external elements.
Depending on the field of application, PEINER SMAG offers DCi

77
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

customers the option of mechanically

operated rope crabs which are available in
clamshell or orange peel grab design. Both
types are considered solid and reliable. The
balance ratio between the dead weight and
grab volume or crane capacity respectively;
provides a good level of penetration into the
bulk material supporting higher throughput
rates.

CONCLUSION
PEINER SMAG discerns a positive trend in
the handling of biomass and continues to
expand its efforts in providing high quality
reliable grabs in this market, particularly in
the waste incineration industry. An existing
framework agreement with a major client for
the delivery of motor grabs to operate in
the incineration plant has been highly
successful with incoming waste and the bi-
product of ashes handled by the
MMGL/MMTGL series PEINER motor
‘orange peel’ grabs. From PEINER’s excellent
track record and successful implementation
of biomass grabs, further orders from this
market segment are expected.

ABOUT PEINER SMAG LIFTING

TECHNOLOGIES GMBH PEINER Four-Rope Orange
PEINER SMAG Lifting Technologies GmbH Peel Grab, Type VMG,
(PEINER SMAG), a subsidiary of SMAG, leads handling wood chips.
the world in manufacturing grabs and other
lifting accessories for cargo handling. Based in Salzgitter, Germany, PEINER SMAG runs manufacturing sites in Germany,
China, India and Singapore. On
the basis of the proven PEINER
product design, the special-
PEINER Motor Dual Scoop Grab, Type MZGL, purpose machinery manufacturer
handling wood chips. develops, manufactures and
services lifting equipment for
various industries, e.g. ports,
ships, steel mills, waste-to-energy
plants and recycling/scrap
handling businesses.

ABOUT SALZGITTER
MASCHINENBAU AG
Salzgitter Maschinenbau AG
(SMAG) is the holding company
of a German group of mechanical
engineering companies with
factories in Germany, China,
India, Singapore and Slovakia
where grabs for loading and
unloading seagoing cargo vessels,
spreaders for container handling,
fully equipped driver cabins,
automated drilling technology for
the open-pit and underground
mining industry, special-purpose
MAY 2017

vehicles for the process industry

as well as mechanic and hydraulic
telescopic antenna masts are
DCi developed and manufactured.

78
Experience the progress.

Mobile Harbour Crane

• Manoeuvrability and versatility – for all areas of application in the harbour
• 360° mobility – absolute outstanding in the MHC market
• Stepless hydrostatic power transmission for smooth and sensitive operation
• Extensive range with load capacities of 42 tonnes to 308 tonnes
• Proven Liebherr quality and full support for our products and services

[email protected]
facebook.com/LiebherrMaritime
www.liebherr.com
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Handling the biomass boom

The growing pressure to reduce CO2 emissions has seen an combustible dust. The dry flammable dust found in biomass can
enormous growth in the transshipment of biomass, writes Les be ignited even by abrasion created within a conveyor system
Williams of Dunlop. With the Kyoto Protocol and the EU’s because the source only requires ignition energy as low as
continuing objective to reduce its member’s states’ carbon 17mJ for the ultimate ignition. This is one of the major
footprints, more and more countries are making the push factors in biomass dust explosion prevention. Biomass
towards biofuel. In fact, the EU wants to achieve 63% dust can also be highly prone to self-ignition, especially if
of heat generation by biomass by 2020. Just in the the material has become damp. A chemical reaction
Port of Amsterdam alone, the boom in biomass can take place that causes self-heating and what is
volumes means that the port could see handling referred to as ‘off-gassing’ (carbon dioxide, carbon
of biomass products rise from its current 1.5mt monoxide and methane emissions).
(million tonnes) per annum to 6mt by 2020. At In the atmosphere immediately surrounding
the same time, there continues to be a parallel a biomass conveyor, there should be no more
decline in the volume of coal transshipment. As than 35 grammes of dust in a cubic metre of air.
Bob Dylan famously sang, “the times they are a Put into perspective, that is approximately the
– changing.” volume of a small tube of popular children’s sweets. This means
For a great many reasons, conveyor systems previously used that conveyor design including dust extraction systems and
to carry coal or other cargo such as iron ore cannot simply be chutes take on a much greater importance. Strict conformity to
used to carry biomass. Adapting existing conveyor systems and Directive 94/9/EC (also known as ‘ATEX 95’ or ‘the ATEX
building new ones entails enormous investment and very Equipment Directive’) applicable to potentially explosive
expensive lessons are already being learnt. Here we discuss the atmospheres of zones 20, 21 and 22 where combustible dust is
impact of handling the biomass boom and its ramifications present should be a pre-requisite.
concerning conveyor systems, maintenance, safety and the critical Dust build-up has to be kept to an absolute minimum, which
importance of conveyor belt technology. means almost constant cleaning. When carrying out any form of
maintenance or repair, the dust must be completely removed
WHAT IS BIOMASS? within several meters of the working area to prevent the
Biomass is used to meet a variety of energy needs, including possibility of ignition. From a conveyor belt point of view, it is
generating electricity, heating homes, fuelling vehicles and absolutely essential that the electrostatic dischargeability (anti-
providing process heat for industrial facilities. To the uninitiated, static) properties of the conveyor belt cover rubber (according
a commonly held belief is that biomass is simply compressed to DIN EN ISO 284 test methods) do not exceed the maximum
wood waste that is formed into pellets. Not unsurprisingly, it is resistance value of 300 MΩ.
not nearly as simple as that. Biomass can be made up of a Despite the claims of some manufacturers, not all rubber belts
combination of several different resources. Apart from wood and are sufficiently anti-static.
wood waste (of which there are several types), biomass can The key ingredient in
include agricultural crops and their waste by-products, municipal conveyor belt rubber is
solid waste, animal wastes, waste from food processing and even carbon black, which acts as
aquatic plants and algae. Nowadays, ports often receive an electrical conductor. It is
shipments that contain a mixture of different biomass pellets. widely accepted that
This multitude of different organisms plus other premium grade belts will
characteristics of biomass provide a wide range of challenges and contain an optimum level of
demands in terms of safety, maintenance and efficiency. These high quality carbon black
challenges certainly apply to the conveyor belts used to carry whereas belting designed to
biomass. Apart from the usual considerations of adequate tensile compete in the lower price
strength, tear strength, elongation and cross-rigidity, there are range end of the market
four essential
characteristics that
Main picture: a Dunlop BV XS conveyor on the left stopped the
biomass-carrying belts
spread of fire while, inset above, belts with inadequate fire
must have, all of which
resistance can be expensive!
have a direct or at least
important influence on
safety.

RISK OF EXPLOSION
One of the biggest issues
is dust emission. In the
production process of
biomass wood pellets,
wood chip and similar
MAY 2017

renewable resources, the

materials are continually
broken down. This
DCi results in high levels of

80
HANDLING DRY BULK INTO SEA VESSELS/ BARGES/ TRUCKS AND TRAINS

COVERED AND FULLY VENTILATED STORAGE 45.000 M3

EXPANSION OF COVERED STORAGE CAPACITY BY THE END OF 2017

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

will almost invariably contain less carbon black, often with ‘fillers’
used as a substitute to keep prices to a minimum. ASTM D 1460 oil
It is strongly recommended that the belt supplier be asked to resistance testing.
provide certification issued by an independent expert body for
explosion protection such as DEKRA in Germany, which is the
organization that is used by Dunlop Conveyor Belting.

OZONE & UV RESISTANCE

Ozone occurs naturally in the upper atmosphere. At high
altitude, ozone acts as a protective shield by absorbing harmful
ultraviolet rays. However, at low altitude, the ozone itself is a
pollutant. Coastal areas and inner cities have particularly high
levels of ozone pollution. Exposure to ozone increases the
acidity of carbon black surfaces and causes reactions to take
place within the molecular structure of the rubber. This can have
several consequences such as a surface cracking and a decrease
in the tensile strength of the rubber. FIRE SAFETY
Belts that do not operate under shelter are especially prone Anecdotal as well as factual evidence gained from laboratory
to surface cracking, which can be extremely detrimental in terms testing certainly indicates that some of Europe’s biggest users of
of the performance of the belt and its working life. Even more conveyor belts, including some major ports, may be using belts
significant are the environmental and health and safety that are not as resistant to fire as they are claimed to be. Only
consequences, especially when carrying biomass because the dust the best quality fire-resistant belting for conveyors carrying
particles penetrate the surface cracks and are then discharged biomass should be considered.
(shaken out) on the return (underside) run of The first and most important thing to bear
the belt. Moving biomass: surrounding areas in mind is that conveyor belts cannot be
At first glance, fine cracks in the surface must be kept as dust free as possible. totally fire proof. The fabrics used in the
rubber may not seem to be a major problem carcass of the belt most commonly contain
but over a period of time the rubber becomes polyester and nylon. These materials have
increasingly brittle. Transversal cracks deepen little or no resistance to fire. In other words,
under the repeated stress of passing over the every belt will burn when it is exposed to a
pulleys and drums and, if the conveyor has a naked flame that is sufficient to ignite the belt.
relatively short transition distance, longitudinal Using special additives and chemicals, the
cracks can also begin to appear. Again, surface rubber used in the top and bottom covers
cracking may not initially seem to be a cause that protect the carcass of the belt and the
of concern but there are often hidden long- rubber skim between the fabric plies of the
term effects. One of those hidden effects is carcass can be engineered to resist fire but
that moisture as well as oils and resins from the complete structure of the belt cannot be
the wood waste seep into the cracks and made fire proof. In truth, the ‘fire resistance’
penetrate through the belt covers down to properties of a conveyor belt are actually its
the carcass of the belt. ability to self-extinguish.
Ultraviolet radiation causes chemical reactions to take place
within rubber and the rapid decline in the ozone layer in the HOW LONG WILL THE BELT CONTINUE TO BURN?
upper atmosphere over the past several decades is allowing an EN/ISO 340 testing involves exposing six individual samples of
increasing level of UV radiation to reach the earth’s surface. belt to a naked flame causing them to burn. The source of the
Ultraviolet light from sunlight and fluorescent lighting accelerates flame is then removed and the combustion time (duration of
deterioration because they produce photochemical reactions in flame) of the test piece is recorded. A current of air is then
rubber that promote the oxidation of the surface of the rubber applied to the test piece for a specified time after the removal of
resulting in a loss in mechanical strength. the flame. The flame should not re-ignite.
The time it takes for the belt sample to self-extinguish after
EN/ISO 1431 INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS the flame has been removed is measured. The duration of
Dunlop Conveyor Belting was amongst the very first to continued burning (visible flame) should be less than 15 seconds
introduce mandatory testing to EN/ISO 1431 international for each sample with a maximum cumulative duration of 45
standards. As a direct result, special anti-oxidant additives that seconds for each group of six tests. Fire can be carried along a
act as highly efficient anti-ozonants were introduced into all of its moving belt with disastrous results so the time factor is of
rubber compound recipes to provide protection against the paramount importance because it determines how long the
damaging effects of ozone and ultra violet. rubber will continue to burn before it self-extinguishes. The
Customers should always insist that their belt supplier provides effects of fire being literally ‘conveyed’ to adjoining buildings can
written verification that their belts undergo stringent conditional be seen in some of the photographs.
testing according to EN/ISO 1431 and are 100% resistant to the Even if a manufacturer states that their belt has passed the
MAY 2017

effects of ozone and UV. At Dunlop, the pass criteria is that the ISO 340 test, the buyer should still exercise caution. A typical
rubber sample does not show any signs of cracking after 96 conveyor belt can easily travel more than 40 metres within the
hours (@ 20°C, 50pphm and 20% strain) inside the ozone 15 seconds sufficient for a belt sample to pass the test. But even
DCi cabinet. ten seconds would still allow the belt to carry flames over a

82
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

potentially dangerous distance. For this reason, the required time running problems. Rather surprisingly, ISO or DIN international
limit standard in Dunlop is an average of no more than one standards for oil and grease resistance do not yet exist. Dunlop
second, ideally even less. Buyers of fire-resistant belt are applies the American ASTM ‘D’ 1460 standard, generally regarded
therefore recommended to ask to see copies of the as being the most demanding standard of its kind in the world.
manufacturer’s test results. The level of oil and resin present depends very much on the
EN/ISO 12882 fire resistance specifications make the type (origin) of the wood itself.
distinction between fire resistance with covers (‘K’ grade) and For most wood from Scandinavia, good resistance to oil is
fire resistance with or without covers (‘S’ grade). Given the necessary as these trees are mostly pine trees, which have high
highly flammable nature of biomass, in terms of actual fire turpentine content. In South-European countries and in Latin
resistance, Dunlop recommends that ‘S’ grade (EN 12882 Class America, eucalyptus trees are commonly used. The wood from
2B) be regarded as the minimum standard. For conveyors that these trees contains little or no turpentine so oil resistance is
are in enclosed areas a higher level of fire not so essential. This is generally valid for
resistance is needed. Here, Dunlop non-pine wood such as poplar and birch. If
recommends DIN 22109 part 4, which is the origin of the wood used for the biomass
Class 4A of EN 12882. can be from variable sources then Dunlop
would recommend the use of conveyor belts
OPTIMIZING SAFETY AND ECONOMY that have a combined resistance to fire and
The relevance of ‘with or without covers’ oil.
within EN/ISO 12882 (Class 2A and 2B) is As a general rule, belts carrying biomass
that as belt covers wear during their in open conditions should at least have a
operational life the amount of fire resistant fire-resistant standard ‘S’ grade (EN 12882
rubber protecting the flammable carcass Class 2B) combined with a good standard of
reduces. The ingredients used to create a oil resistance. For these conditions, Dunlop
fire-resistant (self-extinguishing) and oil- recommends its BVM-S. Belts operating in
resistant rubber compound almost closed conditions should be EN 12882 Class
invariably have an adverse effect on the wear-resistance of the 4A fire resistant. Here, Dunlop recommends its BV-VT, which is
rubber. In plain speak, fire-resistant rubber usually wears faster both Class 4A fire resistant and oil resistant (ASTM ‘D’ 1460).
and, as it wears, then the level of fire resistance reduces
accordingly. PERFECT STORMS DEMAND A PERFECT SOLUTION
However, the rubber compound technicians at Dunlop have To summarize, conveyor belts carrying biomass have to face the
proved that it is possible to have the best of both worlds by perfect storm; they operate in highly explosive, combustible
developing fire- (and oil-) resistant rubber compounds that have environments. They need to be completely anti-static and self-
extremely good resistance to abrasion. This means that the belt extinguish as quickly as possible if ignited. They convey materials
retains its resistance to fire for much longer while at the same that contain potentially damaging materials in terms of oils and
time considerably extending its wear life. Unfortunately, resins. They are under constant attack by the elements including
laboratory tests have consistently revealed that this is very much ozone pollution and ultra violet. They have to be safe, reliable
an exception to the rule within the conveyor belt industry. and provide an operational life that is as long as possible in order
Fire-resistant conveyor belts are a very significant investment to be economic. Such belts are, of course, available but you need
so for both safety and value for money reasons, buyers should to be absolutely sure of their providence and you need to be as
always request technical datasheets before placing an order sure as you can be that what the manufacture promises you is
because they include data on the level of abrasion (wear) actually delivered. When it comes to carrying biomass, belts that
resistance. (NB: for abrasion, higher figures represent less are not of the highest standard are a very dangerous and
resistance to wear.) expensive liability indeed.

THE EFFECTS OF OIL ON

RUBBER
Oil (including fat and
grease) resistance can be
divided into two sources —
mineral and vegetable &
animal. Biomass, especially
the wood and wood waste
content, can contain
vegetable oils and resins
that can have a very
detrimental effect on the
performance and life
expectancy of a conveyor
belt.
MAY 2017

Over time, the oils and

resins penetrate the rubber
causing it to swell and
DCi distort, resulting in serious

84
 Rugged Energy & Data
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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

KINSHOFER attachments for biomass handling

KINSHOFER is a leading
The C40HPX is
global provider of high-quality
KINSHOFER’s latest re-
attachments for loading
handling clamshell bucket
cranes and excavators.
with a 4,000-litre
Founded 45 years ago, in
volume. Best: A
Miesbach near Munich,
HPXdrive opens and closes
Germany, the KINSHOFER
the two shells not only
Group today comprises 15
synchronously, but with
companies. KINSHOFER
absolute constant force.
offers a huge product range
The bucket shown here
with just about every type of
has been installed for a
attachment for equipment
long time at the Port of
carriers — with and without
Antwerp in Belgium.
hydraulics.
KINSHOFER has an
established reputation for
excellence in loader crane
attachments and, as a global
player it is well on its way to
achieving the same level of
recognition for its excavator
attachments. The company
offers a wide range of
equipment and tools,
including just about
everything related to attachments — from tiny cable buckets for according to what type of biomass is being moved. It is
landscaping construction excavators with just one tonne important to select the right attachment for the job.
operating weight, up to giant clamshell buckets and monstrous Wherever giant cranes, pneumatic vacuum elevators (grain
scrap shears for excavators with up to 100t operating weight! blowers) or conveyors are not available or possible, the classic
Handling biomass on industrial or harbour sites varies grabbing devices will always be first choice. Attached to an

The P25VRHD is an orange peel

grab with three tines. Rigidly
mounted to the excavator, it is
ideal for feeding shredders and
pellet mills with wooden parts
and particles of different size.
MAY 2017

DCi

86
From ship to shore, from shore to ship...

...for sure.
Nectar can say “for sure” with confidence.

We’ve been supplying market leading bulk

handling solutions for over 40 years and
encountered and overcome many difficult
situations, scenarios and challenges,

Since inventing the first mobile bagging

system in the 1970s we have become world
leaders in all aspects of bulk handling.
Nectar have worked hard to develop
important strategic relationships and
specialist knowledge of port infrastructures
ensuring that the solution we provide
delivers your product on time, intact and
cost effectively anywhere around the world.

Whether it’s the simple task of transporting

your product from A to B overland or
consulting on the design, build and
management of a new port we will have all
the answers...for sure. T: +44 1708 386 555 W: www.nectargroup.co.uk
 The D20H is a selector
grab with perforated
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

excavator, their shells, optimal for

mobility makes grabbing and
them even re-handling green
more attractive. biomass, no matter
All of these whether vegetable waste,
attachments are cut-off grass, bushes
available at or water plants.
KINSHOFER’s
one stop shop.
For dry bulk
biomass like
grains, sawdust
or wood
pellets,
KINSHOFER is
offering the
C-series grabs:
regular
clamshell
buckets with
larger shells for
excavators with
an operating
weight from 1t
to 18t as well as the re-handling and industrial clamshell buckets like water plants, the selector grabs of KINSHOFER’s D-series
for excavators with an operating weight from 18t to 80t. Driven are ideal. The shells are perforated to let water, dust and gravel
by regular hydraulic cylinder(s) or like the C40HPX by the through; for excavators with an operating weight from 1t to 80t.
revolutionary HPXdrive: extra compact, extra long lifetime with For forestry biomass, especially like waste logs or larger
just an absolute minimum of maintenance needed. branches, KINSHOFER offers its more special wood and timber
For biomass like agro waste, turf, bark mulch, twigs, small grabs of the T-series for excavators with an operating weight
branches or waste wood with particles and parts of different from 3t to 100t.
sizes where it needs penetrating tines to grab it, KINSHOFER The experience that KINSHOFER has gained over decades of
offers its P-series orange peel grabs for excavators with an developing attachments means that the company now has
operating weight from 16t to 80t. considerable expertise. This, combined with a strong
For non-homogenous biomass like mixed bio waste, waste commitment to premium quality, guarantees a successful future
wood mixed up with soil or fine gravel as well as for wet biomass for the group — as well as reliable tools for its customers.

The T20V-6Arm is a special timber grab

with 6 tines that can re-handle logs and
branches as well as twigs and waste wood.
This is only one of ten different timber grab
types offered by KINSHOFER.
MAY 2017

DCi

88
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En-masse twin chain retrofit gets Brazilian wood products manufacturer

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

running at full capacity
DETRIMENTAL IMPACT OF
MISAPPLIED CONVEYING
Original chain arrangement. Symmetrically swept
TECHNOLOGY ON
back flights are an indication of plugging and
MANUFACTURING OUTPUT
inadequate flight strength for the loading.
A Brazilian manufacturer of
OSB and MDF wood-based
products used en-masse
conveyors to move raw
materials from off-load,
through distribution, and
through the manufacturing
process. The plant layout
and output capacity were
designed to generate a final
product volume that would
provide optimum returns to
the company. The positive
output was based on a high
volume, consistent flow rate
of raw materials throughout
the facility. The use of en-
masse drag chain
technology was the ideal
selection for this material
handling application;
however poor design and sizing of the conveyors, complicated by v improper use and application of chain within;
incorrect flight selection, meant the conveyors could not handle the conveyor;
the required loads or the characteristics of the material. The v undersized and improperly applied gear reducer selection and
material handling challenges lead to conveyor failure and v poorly designed conveyor housing and return system for the
unplanned downtime. After two years of running the conveyors conveyor.
on a continued repair and replace maintenance schedule, the
plant decided to seek alternatives. CDM Systems was called to CDM was asked to redesign conveyors that would meet the
the manufacturing site to analyse the current situation and offer a production goals of the plant while keeping retrofit costs low.
recommended solution. The facility management stipulated CDM to work with the
Upon review of the application and applied conveying existing equipment to implement improvements and eliminate the
equipment, the following summary and root cause was submitted conveying problems.
to the facility managers. The first issue addressed by the CDM design team was the
v conveyors did not meet design capacity criteria; inability of the existing conveyors to meet the required capacity.
The conveyors are
required to handle
the full volume of
Original 50” wide flights bent from
chips/flake the plant
foreign material or an upset condition.
produced. The
deficiencies of the
conveyors left the
plant limited to
approximately 80% of
the design capacity.
The primary
conveyor should have
been sized to handle
product from six
flakers; however,
each time the wood
product manufacturer
attempted to
MAY 2017

operate all six of the

flaker units, the
conveyor immediately
plugged and shut the DCi

91
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Workers retro-fitting the

return rail assemblies to
accommodate CDM’s twin
design.

plant down. product at the design capacity without deflection. This design
A design analysis of the conveyor cross sectional area flaw left the conveyors vulnerable to continued failure during
(volume) determined the conveyors were significantly undersized. normal operating conditions and potential catastrophic failure in
The solution for this conveying problem would typically be to an upset condition. A seemingly obvious fix would be to simply
increase the chain speed or to provide a complete replacement increase the flight thickness to increase the flight tip strength.
of the conveyor. However, CDM was able to address this design However, increasing the thickness of the flights would lead to
flaw by increasing the sidewall height of the conveyor through the greater lateral forces on the chain and result in more chain
use of formed channels which were bolted to the existing breaks and failures in place of the bent flights. While bent flights
conveyor sidewall. These extensions, combined with raising the are inconvenient, they do not typically lead to a shut-down like a
chain return rail elevation, provided the increase in area required broken chain.
to meet the design capacity without increasing chain speed.
The second material handling challenge CDM looked to ENGINEERED CHAIN PROVES RELIABLE
overcome was the continual conveyor stoppage due to CDM had two options to correct this design flaw. The first
component failure. The existing conveyors in the facility were choice was to offer a conventional dual strand chain where two
constantly failing due to chain damage, bent chain flights, broken strands of chain would be installed with a common flight
chain, and excessive wear. The component failure was connecting the two strands. While this is not an uncommon
compounded by the lack of safeguards designed to mitigate the arrangement, it was not the design option CDM recommended
damage following the failure. for the following reasons;
CDM addressed these issues with minimal cost to the facility’s v Regardless of chain manufacturer, type of chain, alloy of chain
retrofit budget by adding a zero speed switch to each conveyor. or style of chain. No two strands of chain will ever wear or
The switch, coupled with the addition of a CDM exclusive Kick- elongate at exactly the same rates. With a conventional dual
Out End Flap, serves as a plug chute and chain break indicator. strand arrangement this is a critical consideration as once this
The use of the two added sensors would significantly reduce the uneven elongation occurs you have effectively changed the
damage and associated downtime from an upset condition. chain sprocket centers. As the chain engages the drive shaft
Another conveyor design issue identified by the CDM sprockets it is not contacting the sprockets correctly or if
engineering team was the misapplication of the chain. The chain uneven elongation is sever enough will not engage at all. This
pull and ultimate strength did appear to be calculated and applied will lead to a failure. Chain elongation becomes an even
MAY 2017

accurately; however, the conveyors were designed with a single greater issue when the conveyor has a long run; which means
strand chain with a 50” (1,250mm)-wide flight. This flight design more links in the conveyor.
was too wide a span for a single strand conveyor. The tip v When a conventional dual strand conveyor is used, if a flight
DCi strength of the flights could not withstand the forces of the becomes bent due to upset condition or foreign material the

92
 WORLDWIDE
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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

sprocket centres have again been changed. This will result in local subcontractors saved thousands of dollars in shipping costs
conveyor failure when the chain engages the sprockets. and taxes/tariffs on US supplied components. CDM also supplied
fabrication details and design criteria for the terminal station
Many of the conveyor lengths were in excess of 150ft (46m). At retro-fit which were required to accommodate the Twin-Strand
this long span, CDM knew the dual strand design would not be design.
the best selection for this application. Instead, CDM proposed its The original gear reducer selection for the conveyors was
exclusive Twin-Strand design. The CDM design combines the provided with virtually no service factor based upon the output
capacity advantage of a dual strand with the reliability of a single. torque required for the conveyor. To support the full capacity of
Instead of a conventional dual strand where the two strands of manufacturing output and the new Twin-Strand design, CDM
chain are connected with the chain flight; the CDM Twin-Strand engineered and specified a new drive package (reducer/motor).
design uses two independent single strands of chain within the The new package could be purchased locally and would support
same conveyor housing. Like a dual strand, the twin design uses the full material handling requirements of the plant.
a common drive shaft, where both strands of chain are driven
through a single drive package. Unlike a conventional dual strand, A SUCCESSFUL RETROFIT BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND
the Twin-Strand design is provided with independent take- PARTNERSHIP
ups/chain tensioning. The result is a conveyor which combines The communication and partnership between CDM Systems and
the capacity advantages of a dual strand conveyor with the long- the Brazilian wood product manufacturer solidified the success of
term operational reliability of a single strand conveyor into a the retrofit material handling project. The CDM design team
single piece of equipment. The use of the CDM Twin-Strand relied on the more than 40 years of experience in bulk material
design provided several key benefits for the application: handling and en-masse conveyor design, to analyse the failed
v increased chain strength; conveying system in the plant, to listen and understand the goals
v increased chain flight strength; of the manufacturer to keep retrofit costs low and production at
v eliminated issues from uneven elongation; and peak levels, and to collaborate with their Brazilian customer to
v virtually eliminated bent flights. provide detailed work instructions and component specifications
to keep the project on schedule and eliminate unnecessary
Upon design completion, CDM provided the wood product tariffs. Since the completed retrofit, the manufacturer has
manufacturer detailed fabrication drawings of the modifications reached full production targets and has improved their bottom
required to the existing conveyor to accommodate the line. The success of the project has also led to two sister-
conversion. The drawings allowed the company to hire a local companies of the wood product manufacturer to contact CDM
contractor to perform the fabrication and installation. The use of for assistance with their struggling conveying system.

Conveyor modification and retrofit to

CDM twin chain nearing completion.
MAY 2017

DCi

94
 Wuvio deals
with dust.

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Customizable dust suppression for specialized applications

Dust Control Technology® (DCT), an industry expert in open
Customizable
area dust and odour, control has introduced a technology that
shapes and sizes
allows the delivery of atomized mist solutions in customizable
give bulk
shapes and sizes, giving manufacturers and bulk handlers virtually
handlers more
unlimited options in dust and odour suppression, handling
options in dust
materials including biomass. DCT is complementing its existing
and odour
line of stationary dust suppression rings with the ability to
suppression.
produce geometric shapes, bars or other configurations,
customized to the needs of the specific application. Each design
is specially-engineered for the application and equipment of the
individual customer for superior dust management.
The new technology can create a virtually unlimited array of
shapes and sizes, including the DustBoss® DB-R ring, which
creates a curtain of mist around the cargo stream or specified
area for outstanding containment of fugitive dust or odour. The
customized solution offers high-volume applications such as radial
stackers, crushers and screeners more focused and reliable
suppression, taking the technology beyond perforated hoses and
basic spray nozzles. The company has also developed the ability
to supply custom spray bars and shapes under the DustBoss®
DB-B family of spray bar products.
“This capability was developed in response to several requests
by clients seeking a viable area-specific solution,” said DCT
President Laura Stiverson. “We’ve found that the most effective
dust suppression approach involves identifying where in the
industrial process fugitive dust is produced and customizing a
solution that contains it at the point of emission.”
Customers can request a virtual site assessment to determine
the optimum size and shape of a customized ring, working with
experienced personnel to design a tailored system. The
assessment includes such details as material properties and
volume, width/length/speed of conveyors, pulley diameter and The objective in atomized mist technology for dust
slope. DCT can also produce customized shapes from customer suppression is to induce as many collisions as possible between
drawings, depending on the size, geometry and complexity. the dust particles and the droplets, causing an agglomeration
effect that weighs down the solid particles and drives them to
the ground. As airborne dust particles and water droplets
approach each other, the best chance for a collision is created
when they are roughly the same size, avoiding a slipstream effect
that can carry them past one another.
The force of the slipstream is relative to the size and speed of
the droplet. When smaller airborne particles encounter a large
droplet, they can get caught in the slipstream, causing them to
move around the droplet rather than being absorbed by it.
Because atomized mist technology creates similar-sized droplets
that are able to travel with dust particles on natural air currents,
the chances of collision and absorption are increased, allowing
the collective weight to drive particles to the ground.

CUSTOMIZING A SOLUTION
At the core of the technology, water is pumped into a stainless
steel manifold and atomized by a series of specially designed
nozzles that fracture the water into a cascading mist. The water
can be supplied by standard municipal sources or a hydrant,
feeding a hose sized for the application and connected directly to
male pipe threads on the manifold. To avoid premature clogging
of misting nozzles, facilities that draw from non-potable water
sources can employ additional filtration systems.
MAY 2017

“Custom rings and spray bars can be equipped with a pump

that is matched to the specific device and the service conditions
under which it must operate,” said Stiverson. “Options include a
DCi The technology can create a curtain of mist around a specific
complete plug-and-play system with its own control panel, as well
area for outstanding containment of fugitive dust or odour.
96
 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
as the ability to tie in to a customer’s existing
controls. For applications that require
surfactants, a dosing pump can be included in
the design to precisely meter additives.”

NO TWO APPLICATIONS ARE ALIKE

Engineers at DCT have created custom systems
for a variety of different industries, from
aggregate to recycling to coal. With the launch
of the customization programme, the company
is equipped to engineer systems of nearly any
size and configuration.
“This product family was created to fulfill
unmet customer needs, but it also helps protect
workers and the surrounding community from
industrial dust and odour,” Stiverson concluded.
“We want all of our customers to have a
solution that fits their individual needs,
contributing to health and safety, good
community relations and regulatory
compliance.”
The company has positioned itself as a
complete solutions provider for dust and odour
control, able to deliver a level of customer
service that is difficult to match from suppliers
that provide a broad range of equipment. By
specializing in atomized mist technology for dust
and odour control, DCT has built a reputation
for outstanding customer service and industrial-
strength equipment designs that address even
the largest and most difficult applications.
Dust Control Technology is a global expert Dust suppression rings can be engineered for
in dust and odour control solutions for coal, unique applications and equipment.
demolition, slag handling, landfills, recycling and
many other applications. The company designs
and manufactures customized equipment utilizing atomized mist effective performance under real-world conditions. The units are
technology for dust suppression and odour management. All of far more effective and efficient than manual spraying, with some
the firm’s R&D, experience and expertise is centred completely customers realizing payback in less than six months. DCT
around those applications, and its staff helps customers analyse equipment can be purchased outright or rented from an
particle sizes, working environments and other factors to ensure extensive fleet.

Dust control rings

can be customized
MAY 2017

for specific
requirements, such
as discharge
chutes. DCi

97
Effective utilization of alternative fuels with Bedeschi systems

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

The utilization of alternative fuels within various industries has as 9 September 2015.
been on a path of rapid expansion for the last 20 to 30 years, But there’s more. In August of 2015, President Obama
writes Pietro de Michieli, Chief Operating Officer – Bedeschi Spa. For authorized the new Clean Power Plan to regulate CO2 emissions
instance, cement producers have been pushing for a net negative from power plants. With the new emphasis on Greenhouse
fuel cost for decades, which only a few plants have truly achieved gases and their supposed contribution to global warming, can the
and the Southeastern US has recently become the hotbed of cement industry be far behind?
biomass-based fuel sources for power generation or co-firing. As Going back to Peray, utilizing coal as a fuel source under
the world attempts to reduce its dependence on fossil-fuels, what stoichiometric conditions in a cement kiln would lead to
was once considered waste has now become a driver for a approximately 18% CO2 in the stack if there were no evolution
rapidly expanding industry which is attempting to combat the of CO2 from the raw mix and as much as 28% when considering
global megatrend of climate change and resource scarcity. the CO2 evolving from the raw mix.
By their very nature, numerous alternative fuels and raw
THE RECENT PAST material additives have reduced chemical constituents that lead
As recently as 1986, Kurt E. Peray suggested that solid fuels in to a reduction of overall emissions, reduced fuel costs and the
rotary kilns were generally coals: anthracite, bituminous, lignite possibility of generating carbon offsets.
and coke, and that “several pre-heater kilns in various parts of Today, wood chips and biomass usage for one of the major
the world are being used to dispose of old automobile tyres, world-wide cement producers contributes as much as 24.5% of
wood chips and even garbage for introduction into the back end their fuel input needs2. Consequently, the low heat values of
of the kiln”.1 alternative fuels now require larger handling and storage systems
Alternative fuels have now taken their place in the proverbial that are more flexible and permanent fixtures within the plant.
front end of the kiln. The times when focusing on alternative
fuels purely for financial reasons are over. Yes, they still have their CASE STUDIES
place, but a far larger constant has been added to the equation: Plainfield Renewable Energy/Enova Energy Group
new emissions regulations. The Enova Energy Group embarked on a renewable energy
In 2010, the US EPA finalized the National Emission Standards project in Plainfield, Connecticut in 2011 to generate 37.5MW of
for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) amendments to the clean energy utilizing waste wood from construction and
standards for Portland cement manufacturing and emissions of demolition debris, recycled wood pallets and land clearing
mercury, total hydrocarbons (THC), hydrochloric acid (HCL) and
particulate matter (PM). In 2013, these new regulations became
PLAINFIELD PROJECT DATA
law. This updated law, coupled with the New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) regulates NOx, (nitrogen oxides)
Material: Biomass
and SO2 (sulphur dioxide), and required cement plants to be
Bulk density: 17–24pcf
compliant with the new standards.
Material size: 4in
After a round of lawsuits, modifications and amendments,
Moisture content: 20% (surface moisture)
mostly championed by the Portland Cement Association, all US
Angle of repose: 45°
cement plants should have demonstrated compliance as recently
Total volume stored: 4,800t
Volume of pile body, no endcones: 4,400t
1: Kurt E. Peray (1986) The Rotary Cement Kiln, Second Edition,
Number of piles: 1
Chemical Publishing, pp 38, 57-58.
2: Azad Rahman, M.G. Rasul, M.M.K Khan, S. Sharma (2013). Impact Section of piles: 1,225ft2
of alternative fuels on the cement manufacturing plant Total length of pile: 500ft (toe to toe)
performance: an overview. 5th BSME International Conference on Width of piles: 70ft
Thermal Engineering. Height of piles: 35ft
Maximum stacking capacity: 300 short tph
Maximum reclaiming capacity: 100 short tph
MAY 2017

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

MIDDLE EAST CEMENT PLANT PROJECT DATA

Material Coal Petcoke Oil shale Olive residue

Bulk density (t/m3): 0,8 0,9 0,8 0,44
Grain size (mm): 68 68 200 140
Moisture (%): 12 12 6,5 18
Resting angle: 38° 38° 38° 27°
Stored volumes (tonnes): 3 × 10,000 2 × 7,000 2 × 1,500 2 × 1,500
Section of piles (m2): 187 187 187 122
Total pile length (m): 75 50 24 38
Width of piles (m): 31 31 31 31
Height of piles (m): 12,1 12,1 12,1 7,9
Stacking rate (tph): 200
Reclaim rate (tph): 150

materials. The biomass plant features a wood storage yard, system complete with dust suppression.
fluidized bed gasification system, condensing steam turbine The fuels to be handled are: coal, petcoke, oil shale and olive
generator, cooling tower, ash silo, scrubber, bag house, electrical residue.
switchyard, storm water storage and treatment and balance of The alternative fuels arrive via semi-truck and are loaded onto
supporting plant systems.3 a surface feeder to an optional double roller crusher for sizing of
Bedeschi America, Inc., was selected for the fuel handling the fuels, if required. From there, the fuels travel via belt
system consisting of an overhead tripper/stacker and a portal conveyor to a tripper/stacker to properly build the nine piles of
reclaimer. Prepared fuel is delivered to the plant where the fuel. In total, 50,000 tonnes of fuel are housed within the storage
covered storage hall can house five days of fuel. hall.
The Bedeschi (TRP 9/1200) overhead tripper stacker utilizes a Given the diversity of moisture within the fuels, a bucket-type
1,200mm belt and the (PAL P200/21+4) portal reclaimer has portal reclaimer was determined to be the most effective for the
blades with a length of 2m and boom length of 25m. duty. As is standard, Bedeschi prefers to utilize a bucket-type
Due to the potential of wood dust explosions, Bedeschi was reclaimer when the moisture is in excess of 12%. In the case of
required to supply Class 2/Div 2 electrical equipment, namely this project, the fuels require minimal mixing and Bedeschi’s
motors, switches and pump skids. reclaimer affords quick pile changes.
Bedeschi supply to include:
MIDDLE EAST CEMENT PLANT v CNT 14/2500 surface feeder;
A Middle Eastern cement company asked Bedeschi SpA to v RL 450/1500 double roller crusher (optional);
propose a multi-fuel handling system for its facility which is v STK 22/800 stacker;
capable of handling a diverse array of fuels. The system v BEL P 250/30+4 reclaimer;
comprises a receiving feeder, storage facilities and a bulk handling v NG: 800/584 , 800/507, 650/104, 650/269 belt conveyors;
v Bag Filter (ATEX): 120 BV 100, 120 BV 64, 120 BV 64; and
3: Leidos, Inc. website pages. v electrical, automation and controls.
MAY 2017

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 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
GOB AS A FUEL VIRGINIA CITY PROJECT DATA
GOB is a waste coal that is the low-energy discards of the coal
mining industry. These waste coal piles accumulated mostly
Material: Coal GOB
between 1900 and 1970 in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia Bulk density: 50–65pcf
and Kentucky.4 These piles can contain millions of tonnes of low Material size: 2in
calorific value fuel that can potentially be recovered and Moisture content: 9%
processed in coal-fired power plants or other energy intensive Angle of repose: 38°
pyro-processing systems. Total volume stored: 72,000 tonnes
The Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center is just one example. Number of piles: 2
The 585 megawatt coal-fired power plant will be generating Section of piles: 3,035ft2
electricity from millions of tonnes of waste coal that was not Total length of piles: 1,253ft
previously marketable.5 Width of piles: 125ft
This project proved how just important the material Height of piles: 48.5ft
assessment is. From the table below, one can see that the Max. stacking capacity: 950 short tph
material as described by two of the owner’s engineers seems Max. reclaiming capacity: 950 short tph
reasonably benign. Based upon this, the decision to
provide a blade-type reclaimer was taken.
Commissioning issues quickly led to a further and
more complete investigation into the true nature of
the material.
The investigation revealed that the material being
received at the plant contained a much as 32% clay.
The clay tended to be non-flowing, highly compactible
and exhibited angles of repose between 75º and 90°.
The clay prohibited the coal from flowing from the
secondary ‘pusher’ boom to the primary reclaim
boom. In addition, the compact clay forced the reclaim
blades in to a more aggressive digging-mode, which
exerted additional stresses and ultimately caused
cracking in the blades.
Ultimately, Bedeschi proposed a fix for the blades
and the customer has more proactively managed its
fuel resources. Given a proper evaluation of the
materials, Bedeschi’s equipment choice would have
been a bucket-type reclaimer, and these issues would
not have arisen. SUMMARY
Bedeschi America’s scope includes: Today’s focus on environmentally fuels and raw materials means
v STK 31/1200 dual stacker with tripper; that it is necessary to overcome ever-increasing challenges in the
v PAL P 260/22+12 dual portal reclaimers; field of material handling. For over 100 years, Bedeschi has been
v cabin with control panel; and handling sticky and high moisture clays for the tile and brick
v electrical, automation and controls. industries and continues to invest in product development to
increase efficiency and enhance its product line for its customers
4. Energy Justice Network, website pages worldwide. The global needs for common fuels of today and the
5. Bristol Herald Courier, Gobco mining coal waste piles, turning gob anticipated fuels for tomorrow requires an ever diligent company
into cash. website, posted March 7, 2010 like Bedeschi to keep abreast of difficult material handling issues. MAY 2017

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Hycontrol blocked chute detection systems ensure it’s ‘all systems flow’ at
biomass power station
High-temperature Microsense blocked chute
detection systems supplied by Hycontrol are playing
a crucial role at a large UK biomass power station,
which is fuelled by poultry litter. The installation of
the microwave-based systems followed successful
trials on one of the six chutes feeding the poultry
litter biomass into the main furnace.
Given the sticky characteristics of this type of
biomass and high operating temperature
environment, which can reach of 220°C, measuring
flow in the chutes poses a number of challenges. The
original paddle switches tasked with this job were
located inside the chutes in direct contact with the
biomass. This resulted in the paddle blades regularly
becoming coated in material, making them unreliable
and prone to malfunction. As a direct consequence
there were frequent blockages causing serious
disruption to the power generation process. Any
unchecked blockage could take several hours to
clean up, at an approximate cost of £1 per second —
nearly £4,000 an hour!
The plant operator required a measurement
system that could monitor ‘flow-no flow’ conditions
in the chute and would also give them warning of an
imminent blocked chute. Hycontrol has extensive
experience in difficult blocked chute applications
using its Microsense microwave-based technology
and were confident they could provide a long term
reliable solution. To validate its claims, Hycontrol
proposed a trial of its equipment on one of the
chutes.
A key advantage of this low power microwave
technology is that neither the transmit or receive
sensors have to be mounted directly in the chute and
so do not come into contact with the material. The
sensors can be mounted opposite each other behind
sacrificial microwave-transparent windows fitted into
the sides of the chutes. These do not obstruct the
material flow and the sensors continue to operate
even when there is a build-up of material on the
sides of the chute. During operation the transmitter
emits a continuous, low power, microwave beam to
the receiver and an output relay is energized or
de-energized when this beam is obstructed by the
material being monitored. the Hycontrol switches took the customer less than ten minutes
For this high-temperature application, PTFE windows were to unblock, whilst the chute that was relying on the old paddle
used, providing a maximum operating temperature of 240°C. The switch took over an hour because the delay in triggering an
windows can easily be replaced if they become damaged or alarm had allowed the blockage to escalate.
worn. Unlike expensive nucleonic technology As a direct consequence Hycontrol
used for blocked chute detection, the systems were purchased for use on the
low power microwaves pose no danger remaining five chutes. The complete
to plant personnel. Systems are system has now been integrated with the
extremely easy to fit and have an site PLC, and is configured so that in
operating range of up to 40 metres. addition to an alarm highlighting the
Hycontrol’s UK Sales Manager David detection of a blockage, the ‘no flow’
Wadsworth is clear on the benefits the detection will also trigger an alert indicating there may be
MAY 2017

Microsense systems have brought for the material bridging further up the chute preventing material flow.
day-to-day operation of the power station: This is just one of many examples across a wide range of
“During the trial, the chute with the microwave switches and a industries, which illustrates the flexibility and durability of our
DCi neighbouring chute both experienced blockages. The chute with microwave technology.”

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RBL-REI biomass offers turnkey biomass storage and handling plants

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

French bulk handling specialist RBL-REI has a range of RBL-REI has used its expertise and experience to develop this
installations in all parts of the world, including projects for the handling system, which includes studies and calculations,
handling of biomass cargoes. manufacture of the equipment, on-site transport as well as
RBL-REI has succeeded in transforming itself into a turnkey assembly of all equipment.
supplier of bulk handling equipment, supplying machinery for all This contract is nearing completion, and, at the time of
parts of the supply chain — from the quarry to the port. writing, RBL-REI is finalizing assembly and plans to run cold tests
RBL-REI supplies a large proportion of all harbour equipment in at the end of this month (May).
France, and maintains a strong position in its field. RBL-REI had to meet stringent environmental regulations,
including: noise reduction achieved by double-skin cladding; ATEX
RECENT BIOMASS CONTRACTS requirements; and the entire system is equipped with dust-
A recent contract for RBL-REI is a turnkey installation at a port control equipment and a firefighting system. In addition, the
in Martinique – Fort de France. It includes the supply of a ship installation had to meet seismic standards and be able to
reception system including a 35m3 de-dusting mobile hopper, belt withstand cyclones.
conveyor transfer to the 20,000m3 biomass storage plant, RBL-REI has adapted its equipment to meet all of these
including elevator and tower truck-loaders. The plant is operated challenges.
by an electricity producer. The power station (40MW), the first RBL-REI has also recently handed over a turnkey installation
100% biomass cogeneration plant in Martinique, will supply 15% feeding a new biomass boiler in Gardanne, France, to create a
of the island’s total electricity consumption. total electrical power of 150MWhe. This system will store
30,000m3 of biomass
(class A and B), and
create a storage facility
with a log storage
capacity of 73,000m3.
This turnkey system
will be separated into
two units: the power
plant with the
woodchip handling and
storage system; and the
MAY 2017

‘La Mounine’ site with

the log storage facility
and crushing unit. This
installation can receive DCi

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 RB L R EI
BUL K U N D ER C O N TR O L

35m 3
100 m3

Without dedusting
Dedusting filters
Spraying

Clamshell
GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC
Telescopic Chute
Util capacity 35m3 100m3
Feeding height without dedusting Cable wheels
10m 11.5m
filters or with spraying
Power generator
Feeding height with dedusting
12m 13m
filters

Opening diameter without

7m 9.5m
dedusting filters or with spraying
Opening diameter with dedusting
5.5m 8m Static
filters
On Wheels

Questionnaire to be return at : [email protected]

Please specify products to be handled
For other dimensions, contact us.

DEDUSTING SPRAYING TELESCOPIC CLAMSHELL POWER ON WHEELS

FILTERS CHUTE GENERATOR

RBL-REI | ANGERS RBL-REI | PARIS

15 rue du Moulin des Landes 11, boulevard Brune
CS 50159 Saint Sylvain d’Anjou 75682 PARIS Cedex 14
49481 Verrières en Anjou Cedex T : + 33 (0)1 53 90 22 40
T : + 33 (0)2 41 21 19 40 F : + 33 (0)1 53 90 22 24
F : + 33 (0)2 41 21 19 59
Follow us on
[email protected]
 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
24 trucks per hour for class A biomass and four trucks per hour all types of cellulose-based products).
for class B biomass. The storage Straw bales and woodchips
capacity has a flow rate of are processed automatically, from
3,200m3/h, and feeds the boiler unloading, defibration,
at speeds of up to 900m3/h. granulation, torrefaction, stocking
For this installation, RBL-REI to truck loading.
had to include the supply of civil The second unit is directly
works; electricity and connected to the first, and the
automation; dust removal; product is transported between
sampling unit; and a fire- the two sites by trucks.
detection and -fighting unit to This unit receives the trucks
cover the entire installation. through an RBL-REI-designed off-
In order to ensure the ground broadband unloader,
primary aim of supplying handling various loads such as
biomass to the boiler products from the first site as
continuously to ensure electrical well as fossil products (petcoke
production, RBL-REI faced a and coal).
wide range of challenges, all of The products are transported
which it met while developing to the storage cells thanks to
the complete installation. RBL-REI ‘s ‘ZZbelt’ sandwich belt
In the field of energy, RBL-REI has also been involved in the conveyor. Each product is then transferred to the micronization
development of a system to produce second-generation biofuel unit and then to a dedicated storage cell via a pneumatic
MAY 2017

made from biomass and pellets. conveyor.

RBL-REI has participated in the engineering, supply and Before sending to the gasifier, the product is mixed to create a
construction of two pilot units, the first of which is used for the recipe defined by the researchers attached to this unit of
torrefaction of the raw material (straw granules, wood chips and production. DCi

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

AGI reports on latest biomass-handling contracts

Ag Growth
International (AGI) is
a major manufacturer
of grain and fertilizer
handling, conditioning
and storage
equipment. In
addition to grain
handling, AGI
participates
extensively in
processing industries
such as milling, oil
seeds, ethanol,
biomass and industrial
applications and
applies many
traditional grain
handling techniques to
this industry.
AGI’s company
approach is driven by
strong global
agricultural
fundamentals and its
brands are amongst
the most recognized in global agriculture in both commercial and and is set to be one of the largest wood pellet mills in the US,
farm sectors. Its vast and growing product catalogue includes and is scheduled to open this autumn.
augers, belt conveyors, grain storage bins, grain handling The site features several TRAMCO pieces including; two
accessories, grain aeration equipment, grain drying systems, and bucket elevators; four Bulk Flo chain conveyors; five Model RB
fertilizer handling and storage systems. AGI has manufacturing chain conveyors; and 19 Model G conveyors. The purpose of the
facilities in Canada, the United States, Brazil and Italy and conveyors on this site is to handle woodchips, wood fibre and
distributes its products globally. wood pellets. As well, the site includes; three Airlanco AVR
In 2016, AGI saw several projects relating to the biomass receivers, one Cyclone used to handle air/dust at the wood chip
industry. This included one notable project contacted by a US and pellet storage location of the plant and a Westfield Portable
pellet producing company called Colombo Energy out of Auger used for reclaiming wood fibre and pellets.
Greenwood, SC, site engineering by Prodesa. The Colombo site New technological developments include a project done using
is a wood pellet manufacturing plant that has the manufacturing the Tramco Bulkflo line. A single conveyor was implemented in
capacity to produce 460,000 metric tonnes of pellets annually place of a more traditional conveyor for bucket elevator to
conveyor operation.
The simplified design
allowed more efficient
handling of woodchips
and wood fibre. The
Tramco Bulkflo
conveyors moved
woodchips to
Hammermills. The
wood fibre was then
moved from the
Hammermills to the
storage bins and finally
to the pellet mills.
Aside from Colombo
Energy, AGI has had
activity this year with
several other businesses
MAY 2017

including; Georgia
Biomass, ICM Inc., Drax,
Bruks and Green Plains
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 Building his own story

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Five Rivers Distribution expands bulk material storage capacity with Legacy
fabric buildings
Marty Shell isn’t one to simply sit back and enjoy success. As Marty Shell has been anything but a complacent president as
with many second-generation operators of family-owned the company enters its third decade of operation. A few years
businesses, there’s a point of pride in not only continuing what ago, the need for additional warehouse space — along with a
the first generation established, but also making it bigger and desire to invest in capital improvements that would enhance Five
better — and Shell certainly fits that mould. Rivers as a whole — prompted Shell to add a 10,000ft2 fabric
His father, the late Buck Shell, started in the port/terminal building right near an existing 16,000ft2 tension fabric structure
business in 1969 as manager of the Pine Bluff Fort before quickly at the Van Buren site that had been constructed about six years
moving up the Arkansas River in 1970 to start the Fort of Port previously.
Smith. In 1982, he was named vice president of Pine Bluff Due to the natural corrosion resistance of the fabric material,
Warehouse Company, where he oversaw seven Arkansas ports. the buildings are primarily used for storage of salt and other
And then in 1996, Buck ventured out to found his own company. corrosive materials, but are also housing any and all other
Five Rivers Distribution was established as an intermodal commodities.
warehouse facility with locations in Van Buren and Fort Smith, “Before we got the first one, the idea of a fabric warehouse
Arkansas. Conveniently positioned for the Arkansas River sacred me to death,” said Shell. “But they’ve stood the test of
System, the company today has a total of five handling docks for time against wind, snow, hail, sunlight. I’m a believer now that it’s
unloading barges, and is also served by the Union Pacific and clearly the right building material for the application.”
A&M Railroads. It wasn’t long before Shell was again looking to add a new
Within close proximity of Interstates 40 and 540, Five Rivers fabric structure. Satisfied with his prior purchases but also
also runs its own trucking company, completing a trifecta of curious about other options, he consulted with friends upriver at
MAY 2017

transportation options coming into and going out of its US. the Port of Catoosa in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a massive fabric
Customs bonded warehouse. All totalled, the operation stakes salt storage building had been installed a couple years earlier by
claim to about 300,000ft2 of storage space for warehousing and Legacy Building Solutions.
bulk materials. “They were very pleased with the Legacy building,” said Shell. DCi

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

“And I knew they had really done their homework

before deciding to go with them. I trust their
knowledge, so I took the recommendation and gave
Legacy a call.”
Having already purchased two fabric structures
in the past, Shell was familiar with the construction
process and knew he would be acting as a general
contractor, subbing out the dirt work and concrete
himself. All that was left was to establish a comfort
level with the building manufacturer that had been
suggested.
“I spoke to Paul Smith at Legacy, and he was a
very nice, knowledgeable man,” said Shell. “He
really sold his company well. We obviously had
contracts, but the overall feel was kind of like the
olden days, where you felt you could just take
somebody at their word. Everything that Legacy
said they were going to do, they did.”
While the business relationship may have made
Shell nostalgic for the old days of handshake deals,
he knew the product he was buying was
undoubtedly a step toward the future. While his
two existing tension fabric structures were
traditional hoop-shaped buildings with web truss
framing, Legacy buildings instead use an innovative
solid beam engineering concept where the fabric
roof attaches to structural steel I-beams.
“Price is a major factor in any purchase
decision,” said Shell. “But we didn’t blink at having
to pay a little more for the Legacy structure.
Sometimes you have to spend more to get a higher
quality building.”
The completed building measures 75ft by 200ft
with over 30ft of clearance at the peak. The
15,000ft2 is enough to contain about 3,000 tonnes (or 140 that really does help. In the long run I think it will be a building
truckloads) of bulk material. The structure is cladded in white that requires less maintenance.”
15-ounce polyethylene fabric with blue trim to match the other After hearing from customers who were interested in his new
fabric buildings at Five Rivers, which had been supplied by Cover- storage space, Shell wasted almost no time in making plans to
All and ClearSpan. build yet another fabric structure to add even more bulk storage
The structure sits atop a concrete-in-place foundation seven capacity in Van Buren.
feet above grade, and is engineered withstand a 90mph wind “Legacy was so outstanding to work with that I didn’t even
load. It also holds snow loads of 10 pounds per square foot and bother looking at pricing elsewhere,” said Shell. “We had a few
is designed to meet seismic zone ‘C’ design codes. A framed and months to see that the building was exceeding our expectations,
wrapped doorway measures 16ft by 16ft, and all steel members so we went straight back to them.”
are hot dip galvanized to protect against corrosive elements. The contract for the next building was nearly identical to the
“The installation was very smooth,” said Shell. “Legacy’s in- first Legacy building, with all the same construction and
house crew worked in cold winter conditions, and they erected accessory features. The only difference was an extra 4,200ft2.
the building within five days. They were a very professional The latest building measures 120ft by 160ft, in order to capture
group, and I’d highly recommend them.” the largest possible footprint permitted by the city and to avoid
Shell was equally impressed with the building itself once it wasting space in that section of the site, where all four fabric
became fully operational. The rigid-frame design, in particular, buildings are lined up in close proximity.
immediately stood out to crew members working inside. “I wanted to put all of these buildings close together, so we
“We like the side columns going straight up instead of curving have all our bulk products in one area,” said Shell. “That way
down like in our hoop buildings,” said Shell. “First off, we can put we’re not running manpower and equipment across the property
more product in there. And our front end loaders can get much to move from one warehouse to the next. We may have to add
closer to the walls and drive straight down the sides. It gives us more fabric storage elsewhere down the road, but for now it’s
more working room and increases our efficiency.” very convenient going door to door.”
Fiver Rivers also observed better air movement through the Five Rivers Distribution has always been about convenience.
building, thanks to ten Schaefer RV-3000 ridge vents and 18-inch Its first fabric buildings were doing the trick to a certain extent,
MAY 2017

overhangs with additional mesh vents. “The ventilation systems but by proactively investing in higher quality storage facilities,
on the sides draw air through nicely,” said Shell. “And the vents Marty Shell is doing more than adding space for bulk material.
at the top definitely perform better than the sidewall louvres on He is taking some important steps toward building a better
DCi our older fabric structures. When you’re handling bulk products, future for his company. DCi

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Digital
Evolution

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Software & Automation

“The Conti MultiProtect monitoring system helps to detect splice faults on the
conveyor belt or damage such as longitudinal slitting at an early stage during
operation and repair the damage in good time. This helps us to avoid extended
downtimes,” explains ContiTech application engineer Patrick Raffler.
(photo: ContiTech)

The Flexowell system can transport goods at inclines of up to 90°.

(photo: ContiTech)
Jay Venter

ContiTech presents digital solutions for the conveyor industry

ContiTech offers smart system solutions — far beyond In addition, Conti MultiProtect is based on software
just conveyor belt production developed in-house, into which the long-standing expertise of
Innovative digital monitoring system reduces downtimes specialists in conveyor belts has been incorporated. “The new
and maintenance costs system permits even more accurate monitoring of steel cord
Versatile conveyor belt systems for steep and vertical conveyor belts,” says application engineer Patrick Raffler. “It
conveying gives us a detailed picture of the status of the conveyor belts at
all times without having to interrupt operations.”
International technology company ContiTech is expanding its
portfolio of industrial applications for the conveyor belt industry. INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS FOR STEEP ANGLES
Alongside conveyor belts, the company is working hard on smart Extreme gradients are a challenge for bulk haulage operations.
systems and expanding its range of services. This allows the Using special-purpose conveyor belt systems, ContiTech has
industrial partner to offer its customers holistic solutions that go created solutions that even enable vertical transport. The
far beyond the conveyor belt product. “We primarily focus on Flexowell® system can transport goods at inclines of up to 90°.
new digital offers that create clear added value for our It enables low-noise and environmentally friendly operations
customers,” says Dr. Michael Hofmann, who heads the ContiTech with capacities of up to 6,000tph (tonnes per hour). With this
segment Industrial Belting Solutions within the Continental system, even multiple shifts from horizontal to vertical are
corporation. At the Schüttgut trade fair from 10–11 May in possible with just one conveyor belt. System operators save in
Dortmund, ContiTech presented its many innovations, including the long term as a result of the energy savings and long service
belt monitoring. lives in particular.
The Sicon ContiTech conveyor belt system is a real all-round
PREVENTATIVE PROTECTION WITH MONITORING SYSTEMS talent: with its closed form, it is particularly suited to
Smooth running of these belts is crucial for the cost efficiency of transporting sensitive goods. It is capable of negotiating small-
conveyor belt systems. To allow them to run free of faults for a radius bends easily, thereby rendering transfer stations
long time, even when subjected to high loads, the operators are superfluous. Chevron profiles are also reliable assistants in
focusing more and more on prevention. Innovative electronic steep-incline conveying. ContiTech offers a range of different
monitoring systems make it possible to identify the exact cover qualities for different uses – including flame resistant,
condition of the conveyor belts at any time. The newly chemical and oil-resistant varieties. All covers are characterized
developed monitoring system Conti MultiProtect helps to detect by their wear-resistant quality.
MAY 2017

splice faults during operation and damage such as longitudinal

slitting in good time. Rip inserts (rip detection inserts) are VERSATILE APPLICATION OPPORTUNITIES
embedded in the conveyor belt. They produce a characteristic For a variety of light and moderately heavy uses, lightweight
magnetic field that is used for monitoring. ContiTech conveyor belts offer a broad range of opportunities. DCi

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

They are manufactured

specially for the respective
application in line with
customer requirements.
Whether length and width,
materials, profile or colour:
the lightweight conveyor belt
can be perfectly designed
from the variety of
possibilities.
Thanks to the patented
Triple-Warp technology, the
lightweight conveyor belts are
exceptionally robust and
durable. Innovative
thermoplastic compounds
offer many advantages for use
in areas such as the food
industry, baggage handling,
warehousing and distribution
and in conveying small parts.
For example, the conveyor
belts are easy to clean. It is
also possible to equip them
with oil, grease and chemical
resistant covers, with heat
resistant models also
available.

With its closed form, the Sicon conveyor belt system by ContiTech is particularly suited to transporting sensitive goods.
(photo: ContiTech)

Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. announces paperless signing for customers
Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. (CGB), active in the grain and contracts are agreed upon, contract confirmations will be sent
transportation industries since 1970, is pleased to announce that for signature through email for digital signing.
it will begin offering paperless signing service for its customers, Customers can access and sign from literally anywhere they
writes Kelly Buchanan. have internet access, straight from their desktop, tablet, or
This service, made possible by CGB and E-Sign Live, went live smartphone. These contracts can also be saved and printed,
in March and is available free of charge. giving the customer flexibility in how he/she prefers to manage
“We continually strive to not only meet, but to exceed paperwork.
customer expectations and remain on the forefront of
technological advances to pass along to our producers. We ABOUT CGB ENTERPRISES, INC.
expect this service will be huge asset to our customer base and CGB Enterprises, Inc., headquartered in Mandeville, LA, USA,
is a much-needed response to the vast inefficiencies of dealing operates 97 grain facilities across the Midwest. In addition to
with physical signatures,” said Kelly Buchanan, Marketing and grain facilities, the company has dedicated operations in logistics
Communications Manager, Grain Division. and transportation, fertilizer, crop insurance, agri-finance, soybean
In order to sign up for this free s-signature service, processing, producer risk management, and other related
customers must have an active CGBonLine account. As businesses.

DBIS changes name to TBA Doncaster

DBIS, which provides the CommTrac Terminal Operating System explain to its customers.
to bulk and general cargo terminals around the world, is to It therefore has decided that a single brand would be easier
change its name to TBA Doncaster. for the market to understand and is moving through the process
For a number of years, DBIS has been a sister company of of changing its name to TBA Doncaster Ltd. CS&A Ltd will
both CS&A Ltd — based in Leicester UK — and TBA BV — become TBA Leicester Ltd.
MAY 2017

based in Delft, the Netherlands. During that time, the The company’s organizational structure, shareholding and
organizations have begun to work more closely together in capability shall remain as before, but it is looking forward to
providing design, software and automation systems to its clients aligning to provide more integrated services and products to its
DCi and having three different names has made this difficult to customers.

110
  
 
   

 
 
 



 
 




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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

ABB launches digital solutions offering, ABB Ability™

ABB commercially launched ABB Ability, its industry-leading by ABB Ability builds on the market-leading automation platform
portfolio of digital solutions, at ABB Customer World in System 800xA. Select I/O, a new addition to System 800xA, is a
Houston. redundant, Ethernet-based, single-channel I/O system. It
With the commercial launch of more than 180 solutions and supports ABB’s next-generation project execution model,
services today, ABB is unlocking value for customers in the Intelligent Projects, which offers a range of efficiency
Fourth Industrial Revolution. By combining ABB’s deep domain improvements for automation projects. With Select I/O,
expertise with network connectivity and the latest digital customers can undertake major projects on a faster schedule
technologies and innovations, ABB Ability creates powerful with fewer cost overruns. It uses standardized cabinets that
solutions and services that solve real business problems and allow installers to digitally marshal signals instead of using labour-
produce tangible business opportunities. intensive marshalling panels.
ABB Ability helps customers in utilities, industry, transport ABB Ability Asset Health Center — among the first ABB
and infrastructure develop new processes and advance existing Ability solutions to be launched on Azure is ABB’s next-
ones by providing insights and optimizing planning and controls generation asset performance management solution, Asset
for real-time operations. The results can then be fed into Health Center 3.0. Available since January 2017, it uses
control systems to improve key metrics such as factory uptime, predictive and prescriptive analytics and customized models to
speed and yield. identify and prioritize emerging maintenance needs based on
The offering builds on ABB’s pioneering technology and more probability of failure and asset criticality.
than four decades of industrial digital leadership. It will enhance ABB Ability Collaborative Operations — this powerful
customers’ ability to innovate and compete in the emerging solution, now being brought to scale across industries, helps
digital-industrial marketplace. customers collaborate more effectively. It allows experts to
“With an installed base of more than 70 million connected work together across organization boundaries, using the same
devices and 70,000 control systems, ABB is uniquely positioned data and analytics platforms. It focuses on such outcomes as
to support its customers’ digital transformation,” said ABB CEO improving productivity, reducing equipment failures, lowering the
Ulrich Spiesshofer. “With ABB Ability, we are combining ABB’s cost of asset maintenance and transforming overall business
entire portfolio of digital solutions and services. We are creating performance. This is done while maximizing security and
additional customer value by bringing together ABB’s domain protecting data, people and assets at every level of integration.
expertise, advanced connectivity and the latest digital ABB Ability Digital Substation — ABB’s digital substation
technologies. With this, our customers can achieve provides customers in the utility sector with unmatched control
unprecedented improvements in operational performance and and efficiency. The digital substation incorporates fibre-optic
productivity.” current sensors and disconnecting circuit breakers to reduce
Digital offerings provided by ABB Ability include performance maintenance requirements and the need for miles of
management solutions for asset-intensive industries; control conventional cabling. ABB Ability takes these advances several
systems for process industries; remote monitoring services for steps further by combining the latest electrical gear with digital
robots, motors and machinery; and control solutions for sensors and cloud computing. The result is that grid operators
buildings, electric-vehicle charging networks and offshore can make decisions based on comprehensive, up-to-the-moment
platforms. Some of the more specialized offerings address information, while predictive algorithms can improve
energy management for data centers and navigation optimization maintenance practices and asset management.
for maritime shipping fleets, among many others. ABB Ability Smart Sensor — this smart sensor solution,
Customers who are already using the portfolio of digital unveiled last year, connects low-voltage electric motors to the
solutions that are now part of ABB Ability include some of the Industrial Internet, allowing them to be monitored continuously.
world’s leading utilities, manufacturers and service providers, The solution, which can be easily affixed to a motor, transmits
among them Shell Oil, CenterPoint Energy, Con Edison, BASF, data on vibration, temperature, loads and power consumption to
Royal Caribbean, Cargill, Volvo, BMW and many others. the cloud. Alerts are generated as soon as any of the
ABB Ability’s next-generation digital solutions and services parameters deviates from the norm, allowing the operator to
are being developed and built on Microsoft’s leading Azure cloud take preventive action before the motor malfunctions. Early
platform, based on a strategic partnership with the software indications are that the smart sensor solution leads to a
company. reduction in downtime of motors by up to 70% and extends
“Building our solutions on the Azure platform means we can their lifespan by up to 30%. Acting on the data to optimize the
take advantage of all of its capabilities and add value with our motor’s performance reduces energy consumption by as much
domain-specific offering,” said ABB Chief Digital Officer Guido as 10%.
Jouret. “In effect, we are turning ABB’s decades of industrial
domain expertise into software offerings that our customers can The list of innovative and versatile solutions associated with ABB
access through the world’s largest and most advanced digital Ability continues, with such offerings as ABB Ability Asset Insight,
platform. From being a hidden digital champion, we are becoming ABB Ability Ellipse Enterprise Asset Management software, and
the partner of choice for customers embarking on a digital the ABB Ability Data Center Automation infrastructure
transformation. They can now know more, do more, do better, management software. With solutions like these and many
together. We can help them assess, automate, optimize and more, ABB Ability will serve customers in utilities, industry, and
MAY 2017

collaborate.” transport and infrastructure. It will leverage the power of the

Among the new ABB Ability innovations showcased in digital revolution by enabling reduced maintenance costs, longer
Houston are: asset life, more efficient operations, reduced environmental
DCi ABB Ability System 800xA — one of the solutions provided impacts and improved worker safety. DCi

112
 Hard and fast rules for

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

cement handling

The lower silo

cannons strategically
placed around the
60º incline.

Louise Dodds-Ely

Resolving material accumulation in cement plant limestone silo

Seasonal weather is somewhat predictable based upon historical high-quality Portland cement per year.”
data, but forecasting moisture levels from year to year is tricky,
writes Chris Schmelzer, Director of Wear Components Business Group, DRY PROCESS
Martin Engineering. In parts of the US, weather systems like El The limestone is crushed to a size of 2-inch (50mm) minus, with
Niño or La Niña can radically change forecasting models. the smallest particles about 1/16th of an inch (1.5mm) in
Experienced cement plant operators often keep an eye out for diameter, and run through a conveying process to the limestone
these patterns, because they know that excessive moisture can stockpile. During normal production, 60tph (54.4 metric tph) of
significantly affect the flow of bulk materials through the different low limestone is added to the raw grinding mill.
phases of cement production, with limestone being particularly Along with the calcined limestone mixture, uncalcined
sticky. When crushed to the size needed for cement meal, damp gypsum is also added at the end of the process to create Drake’s
limestone can adhere to belts, chute surfaces and silo walls, Type II/V (LA) Portland cement. The plant makes products that
accumulating until it eventually creates clogs and forces conform to the physical and chemical requirements of ASTM
unscheduled downtime. C-150 for Types II/ V, low alkali cement.
The Drake Cement facility ten miles north of Paulden, AZ,
experienced the issue firsthand during the winter of 2015 and DRASTIC MEASURES
2016. In this historically dry state, moisture had only been an A key component of Drake’s dry-process manufacturing is
issue during snowy winters and monsoon weather in July and efficient material flow. Excessive rain in the months of January
August, which sometimes delivered sudden torrential rains. But through March caused the limestone being extracted from the
the long drought in the region gave way to drastically wetter El nearby quarry to have elevated moisture levels. Not only does
Niño conditions, affecting how raw cargo normally flowed the rain cause standing water, but the limestone is also wetter
through Drake’s material handling system. Operators found that coming out of the ground.
the problem was acute in the silo storing limestone for the raw Little of that water is lost in the crushing process, and dry
mill. material can absorb moisture as it is reduced in size. So in the
“This plant is one of the most state-of-the-art operations of winter months, by the time the material lands in the 536-ton
MAY 2017

its kind, with advanced operating and pollution controls found in (486 metric tonne) low limestone silo, it is nearly saturated.
only a few other facilities in the world,” explained Jose Venegas, Prior to the winter of 2015, the silo had not experienced a
Maintenance Manager at Drake Cement. “Our cement plant has single flow disruption, nor had it required cleaning due to the aid
a rated capacity of 660,000 tons (598,741 metric tonnes) of of two Martin® XHV air cannons. Positioned perpendicular to DCi

113
 Tailor made ship
unloaders in any size
Van Aalst Bulk Handling is a flexible organization directed
to assist its customers with tailor made solutions for their
loading, unloading and pneumatic conveying projects.
Van Aalst Bulk Handling provides design and technical
engineering, manufacturing and supply of equipment
and installation supervision. The customer can rely on
one experienced and reliable source.

Always Interested.
Van Aalst Bulk Handling.

Bulk handling
equipment for
Road mobile ship
dusty abrasive
unloaders up to
materials like
250 tons per hour
cement, fly ash,
alumina

Pneumatic ship
unloaders with Ship loading systems
high capacity from 200 up to
up to 800 tons 1.000 tons per hour
per hour

Also Interested?
T +31(0)172 213 341 VANAALSTBULKHANDLING.COM
E [email protected]
 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
the material flow, the units delivered a
strong shot of compressed air across the
vessel to dislodge stuck material.
Adequate in previous years to keep Contractors
material flowing at required volumes installing the pipe
through all seasons, the air cannons were nozzles at a 30º
unable to prevent clogging at such high angle to promote
moisture levels. material flow.
The new weather situation caused the
silo to clog every week. Fed by a 42-inch
(1,066mm) conveyor moving material at
400fpm (feet per minute — 2mps [metres
per second]), the limestone stuck to the
lower slope of the hopper. Highly
compacted material quickly moved up the
inner shell of the circular 50.7ft (15.4m)
tall, 18ft (5.4m) wide silo, forming 8ft
(2.4m) thick walls around the mouth and allowing only a narrow immediately set up a Martin® Heavy Duty Whip. Powered by
rathole that eventually clogged at the silo’s 2ft (0.6m) wide shaft compressed air, the device can be equipped with a variety of flails
leading to the weigh feeder. This required workers to spend up and cutting edges to knock down accumulated material without
to 12 hours to clean it out using compressed air and other tools. damaging the silo’s walls or support structure. Requiring no
As the winter got worse, so did the clogging problem, and soon confined space entry, the device was set above the manhole
opening at the top of the vessel and
manoeuvred by remote control.
Martin® XHV air
The coiled modular boom extends up
cannons in their
to 28ft (8.5m) and can clean vessels as
original perpendicular
wide as 60ft (18m) in diameter and 225ft
firing configuration.
(68.5m) tall. Operating from the bottom
of the silo up, the pneumatic cutting head
delivered a powerful whip action, allowing
the team to completely clean out the
densely clogged silo in only 11 hours while
the plant resumed production.
“Working together with the electrical
and maintenance departments, we were
able to continue operations during the
cleaning process,” Venegas said. “This
really helped us avoid what could have
been some costly downtime.”
the large structure would only take two hours to fill. To remedy
this, operators used CO2 blasting tubes every 15 to 30 minutes. LONG-TERM PREVENTION
Once the silo had been completely evacuated, Brown — a flow
LIMESTONE SNOWBALLS aid specialist — realized that the ongoing problem could be
“I had a Martin representative coming out to look at another remedied by utilizing Drake’s current stockpile of air cannons.
part of the plant, but when the silo clogged, that took immediate Using an innovative placement strategy, Brown was certain that
priority,” said Venegas. “The problem had become disruptive, the cannons could safely prevent build-up and promote efficient
expensive and hazardous. We needed it
solved once and for all.”
When Martin Engineering National
Business Development Manager Doug
Brown arrived at the plant, he found a silo
so compactly clogged that it had halted
the entire production process. “Inspecting
the silo for a solution, we realized that the
limestone could be packed like snowballs,
dense enough to stick to the wall when
thrown,” said Brown. “This demonstrated The Martin® Heavy
just how serious the problem was. We Duty Whip is set up
luckily had a silo cleaning crew that had above the access at
the top of the silo
MAY 2017

just finished a job in Tucson, AZ, so they

were quickly dispatched north to the and controlled
plant.” remotely.
The experienced two-man crew DCi

115
 Storage, Mixing, Con
IBAU
HAMBURG
A HAVER & BOECKER Company
Economic.

The Aotearoa Chief has 5 cargo holds with a total capacity of 9,000 tons and a discharge capacity

Individual and innovative solutions, made to measure:

Plant Design Engineering EPC-Contracting

With I BAU HAMBURG you are always in good Company!

For more information please visit:

www.ibauhamburg.de
 [email protected]

veying, Loading and Shipping by I BAU HAMBURG

Effective. Efficient.

of 2x 300 t/h via 2 pipes size DN400.

The ORIGINAL I BAU HAMBURG CONCEPT, proven in more than

10.000 of Single silos, 300 Multicompartment silos, 100 Mixing stations,
200 Marine terminals, 60 Ship unloaders/-loaders, 30 Cement carriers,
100 Export terminals for distribution by truck, railway and ship, 400 Power plant systems,
were supplied by I BAU HAMBURG within the last 40 years.

HAVER & BOECKER covers with IBAU HAMBURG the complete conveying chain:
Processing, Storage, Mixing, Filling, Packing, Palletizing, Loading, Automation
EQUIPMENT

high-volume material flow, no matter how moist or dense the pointed out. “It has the benefit of directing the air cannon’s blast
limestone. to dislodge the material, delivering a more powerful shot on
Rather than the two cannons at the bottom of the limestone accumulation that’s stuck to the vessel wall.”
silo firing across the cargo flow, five cannons were strategically Already fitted with 53 XHV and Tornado Air Cannons
placed around the vessel. Installed with a wide 4in (101mm) throughout the plant, a programmable logic control (PLC) system
valve, three 70-litre (88 lb/40kg) Martin® Tornado Air Cannons centrally placed in the facility coordinates and monitors the
were placed on the lower incline of the cone at a 30º downward timing and firing sequence of each unit at all locations, including
angle against the 60º slope in the 6 and 12 o’clock positions (one the limestone silo. This made expanding the system easier, since
side of the silo was inaccessible). In the 3 o’clock position, one the cannons use a positive-acting valve that is triggered by a
air cannon was situated at the 2ft-wide shaft, and another was solenoid panel set a safe and convenient distance — up to 200ft
added to the upper silo to aid in loosening material. (61m) — from the cannons. Connected to the plant’s
Fitted with standard pipe nozzles, the cannons deliver a strong compressed air system, the improved air path of the Tornado fills
pressurized blast of air down the wall of the silo, which dislodges the reservoir three to four times faster than typical designs. The
adhered material and introduces it back into the process flow. positive-acting valve opens in response to a surge of air sent by
The nozzle assembly allows Drake to utilize its current supply of the solenoid, amplifying the discharge force by 20% and reducing
Martin XHV and Tornado cannons, and then upgrade to newer the chance of misfires.
technology at a later date. During the wet winter and monsoon months, the cannons
“This type of air cannon configuration has shown to be highly were activated approximately every hour, but throughout the rest
effective in promoting flow and preventing clogging,” Brown of the year the system has a firing sequence of only four to five
times per day. “We also added a layer
of protection that the silo didn’t have
before by installing an automated
weight sensor,” Venegas explained. “If
the silo exceeds 40 tonnes of

light & quick downward pressure, logistical software

detects the buildup and fires the
cannons. This sequence can also be

for heavy-weights manually activated from the weigh

feeder, at the solenoid panel or in the
control room.”

RESULTS DEMONSTRATED BY
PRODUCTION GAINS
A two-man team did the air cannon
installation over a two-day period,
coinciding with other maintenance.
Since installation, plant production has
returned to normal levels. Material
flow is ongoing, and the silo has not
been shut down for cleaning.
There has been no unscheduled
downtime due to clogging, which has
greatly increased production, especially
through heavy weather periods. The
use of CO2 tubes has been ceased
altogether. When a build-up is
detected, workers no longer are

P4 rol e-chain ® required to get close to the area to

resolve it, increasing plant safety and
reducing the number of man hours

in aluminium trough
All media in a single e-chain . Drive and data cables, hoses, accessories.
®
required to maintain the silo.
“This equipment upgrade has paid
for itself many times over,” Venegas
Corrosion-free and resistant to salt water in the igus aluminium trough.
®
said. “We are extremely happy with
Saves 30% weight compared to steel troughs. Travel of up to 800 m and the results. The service was fast,
speed of up to 600 m/min with 57% less drive power. Moving energy responsive and well coordinated.
made easy. During our next scheduled outage,
we’re going to have a Martin
Please visit us: Engineering team out here to consult
Nor-Shipping, Oslo | TOC, Amsterdam – Booth E88 on other areas where we might need
air cannons, so that we can maximize

-cranes.com
Request a free sample Tel. +49 2203 9649-800 Fax -222 plastics for longer life
®
production. We look forward to an
ongoing and productive relationship.”
 We’re now LISTENOW
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VERLADESYSTEME FÜR SCHÜTTGÜTER










 

 

tweeting! 








 

Image: LISETNOW Loading System 4030 with fill-level indicator

Get in touch with us, check out
our latest stories from the bulk
world, or tell us your best joke
— we’d love to hear from you.

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Is your
terminal
operating at
peak performance?
Peak efficiency results from routine optimization audits, best maintenance
practices, highly skilled operators and process equipment upgrades.

FLSmidth’s terminal specialists are experienced, trained, and prepared to

perform a complete System Optimization Audit to evaluate any
pneumatic conveying system at your terminal. A personalized system
audit will include a complete mechanical, electrical and process evaluation
of your equipment’s current condition.
Furthermore, we will provide you:
• Observations and recommendations for best maintenance
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• Suggestions for possible upgrades to ensure your unloader is
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Call +1 610 554 7548 for more information, or to schedule your system audit.
Or visit us on the web: WWWlSMIDTHCOM
Cement loading with Cleveland Cascades dust controlled loading chutes

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Based in the UK, Cleveland Cascades company employs a team
of experts in design, manufacture, assembly and commissioning of
bespoke loading chutes for the handling of dry bulk materials,
including cement.
Cleveland loading chutes are particularly well suited to
handling cement, and the sector has always been a major part of
the company’s business. In 2016, it accounted for approximately
22% of sales and the systems were delivered worldwide to
customers in North and South America, Asia, Australia as well as
in Europe. The product types delivered last year in to the
cement sector also varied widely, including cascade ship loaders,
transfer chutes and free-fall vehicle loading chutes. Some of the
company’s clients include Tiam and Irish Cement, Bedeschi,
Cemex, SMB and FL Smidth.

NOTABLE CEMENT PROJECTS INCLUDE:

v Titan Cement UK, based in Hull, UK: Titan Cement invited
Cleveland Cascades to commission two tanker loader systems
purchased for King George Dock. The chutes load cement
into tanker trucks with closed hatches at rates of up to
150tph (tonnes per hour). The cement is imported from
around Europe on vessels, and is air-blown into Titan
Cement’s storage silo for truck-loading thereafter. The
Cascade tanker units utilize a rubber seal at the outlet in
order to create a perfect seal between the chute and the
tanker hatch for much improved dust-free loading. The air
displacement is controlled by an internal extraction system
that works across both chutes and any product extracted is
taken back into the silo for re-loading. cement, clinker which in itself is an extremely dusty but
v CRH US: Cleveland Cascades recently gained an order in abrasive material could then be loaded in mass flow; this is the
partnership with CRH US to supply 3 Cascade vehicle loading transfer of bulk material as a single mass moving at a low
chutes to the Montana region. speed, but high volume. The Cascade chute has been proven
CRH US’s brief was that it required three Cascade vehicle to be the most effective loading chute for protecting against
loading chutes, and above all, it was also important that both dust emissions generation, and degradation of material
loading had to be as dust free as possible hence the choice of particles. These two issues were at the forefront of thinking
Cleveland’s incomparable Cascade chute. on this project, and resulted in the Cascade chute from
The supplied chutes are 4.75m long, been interfaced with Cleveland being chosen.
the conveyor in order to effectively handle clinker, cement, at
rates up to 390 metric tonnes per hour. The cones have been CLEVELAND CASCADE ORIGINS
lined with ceramic to handle the abrasiveness of the material, The Cleveland Cascade chute originated from an in-house
along with a special adhesive to deal with the varying project developed at a bulk handling facility on Teesside in the
temperatures of the product. Electric slide valves have also early 1990s. The facility had faced pressure from port operators
been requested to assist in the control of the material. and surrounding businesses relating to the safe and efficient
The unique Cascade chute arrangement, means that the loading of potash. The success of the system resulted in the idea
being patented and sold worldwide,
handling a vast variety of dry bulk
materials, from large lump iron ore
and, coke and coal, granular products
including grains, through to fine
powders such as cement, soda ash,
phosphate and alumina.
The Cleveland system allows a
controlled, yet efficient transfer of
materials from conveyor to ship, silo
or stockpile. The material is loaded at
a low velocity, yet high volume and
this means products can be
MAY 2017

transferred with minimized generation

of dust emissions, and also minimized
degradation and stockpile segregation
of product. Such is the low DCi

121
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

requirements are catered for. The design is such that these

products will give many years of trouble-free service.
In addition, the company has also developed and supplied
Cascade transfer chutes to solve the dust emissions problem
created at conveyor transfer points. This represents a logical
step for the business, as for years it has provided the means for
materials loading from the conveyor to receptor, ship, rail wagon
or tanker etc. And so now it is providing materials loading in the
same controlled manner between two conveyor belts.
With over 665 systems operating worldwide with applications
in ship, silo, road, rail and tanker loading, the company’s key to
success is its proven ability to provide a well-engineered solution
with professional spares, commissioning services and committed
support.
Moving forward, the challenge for Cleveland is no longer to
prove the systems abilities with loading cement to achieve these
desired results, but grow the system in size to accommodate
larger handling rates. Cleveland has now extended its size range
to accommodate loading rates from 50 cubic meters per hour up
to 7,000 cubic meters per hour of all dry and free-flowing bulk
materials, and bespoke chutes of 45 metres plus are now being
environmental impact of the Cascade chute, Cleveland is the only requested.
loading manufacturer in the world that offers a guarantee that Having achieved Awards for Environmental Engineering, and
less than 5mg per cubic metre of air is produced from the the Queens Award for Environmental Achievement and Export
Cascade chute, something that is very important for the Achievement, there is no doubt that Cleveland is proficient in
operators in the transfer of material like coal. bulk loading solutions, using its unique cascade system.
The unique Cascade chute achieves its performance by using a Cleveland Cascades Ltd continues to remains at the forefront
series of oppositely inclined cones, optimally sized and arranged of innovative design within the bulk industry, taking its technology
at a specific spacing and inclination. When the correct Cascade and experience, and tailoring it to meet the demands of individual
arrangement is loaded with a specified tonnage feed of bulk customer needs.
material, the cone arrangement becomes
back-filled or semi-choked to amass a
body of material inside of each cone
supported on its running surfaces. The
material then slides on itself, reducing
impact wear within the cones and liners to
a minimum. The result is called ‘mass flow’
— a large volume of material loaded at a
very low velocity, and the results from
loading materials in mass flow are
minimization of dust emissions, product
degradation and stockpile segregation to
the greatest possible extent.
The results of the Cascade chute have
proven to be so good, the chutes do not
require any dust extraction or suppression
systems. This results in the overall loading
systems having lower capital equipment
costs, and lower maintenance costs over
the working life of the operation.

CONVENTIONAL CHUTES
Where stringent dust controls are not
required by the operator, Cleveland offers
design and manufacture of a more cost-
effective conventional telescopic chutes,
together with a range of smaller chutes for
truck, tanker and rail loading operations.
These chutes are robustly constructed,
MAY 2017

and well-engineered to withstand the day

to day use in their respective
environments. Materials of construction
DCi are bespoke to the application and special

122
 Cleveland Cascades Ltd
Global leader in bespoke dry bulk loading chutes

Ship Loaders

Silo Loaders

Truck Loaders Cleveland Cascades are Specialists in the design

and manufacture of bespoke dry bulk loading chutes.
Our bespoke solutions are designed to meet each customer’s specific
requirements from a tool kit of proven components, utilising the
expertise of a team of specialist in house design engineers.
We lead the loading chute industry & set the standard for dust
Tanker Loaders emissions and environmental pollution control in dry bulk handling.
Our worldwide reputation is built on high quality, well-engineered,
robust, high performance chutes, backed up by excellent customer
service and global lifetime product support.

Contact Cleveland Cascades Ltd

Unit 22, Dukesway, Teesside Industrial Estate, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland,
TS17 9LT, United Kingdom Tel: +44 1642 753260 | Fax: +44 1642 753270
E-mail: [email protected] | Website: www.clevelandcascades.co.uk
 Technology that makes the world go around

MAIN FEATURES BENEFITS

• Totally enclosed Drive • Safer than exposed drives
• Aesthetic design • Smooth and out of sight
• Space saving and light weight • No need for costly extras

We move your work

repi Associati
Errepi
Bianchi Err

Rulmeca Motorized Pulleys:

• the most efficient
cient and efffective
f drives available
• high protection rate of IP67
• low maintenance
• successful for more than 50 years

Contact your local RULMECA Company to discuss about this or other

requirements for Idlers and components for bulk handling applications.

COMP ANIES AROUND THE WORLD

COMPANIES www.rulmeca.com
www.rulmeca.com

Headquarters RULMECA - EUROPE Great Britain

Great RULMECA RULMECA - ASIA
Denmark RULMECA UK Ltd NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA China
RULMECA HOLDING S.PP..A. RULMECA A/S e-mail: [email protected] Canada RULMECA (TIANJIN) CO. LTD
T
Via A. Toscanini,
o 1 e-mail: [email protected] RULMECA CANADA LIMITED e-mail: [email protected]
I-24011 Almè (Bergamo) Italy e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +39 035 4300 111 FFinland
inland RULLI RULMECA S.PP..A. Indonesia
Fax: +39 035 4300391 RULMECA OY e-mail: [email protected] USA PT. RULMECA INDONESIA
e-mail: fi@rulmeca.com MECA CORPORAATION
RULMECA T e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
Spain/Portugal
Spain/P
p g Thailand
FFrance
rance RULMECA IBÉRICA,
É S.L.U.
RULMECA FRANCE S.A.S. VENEZUELA RULMECA (THAILAND) CO., LTTD.
e-mail: [email protected] INDUSTRIAS RULMECA S.A. e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
Germanyy
German Sweden
RULMECA A/S RULMECA - AFRICA
RULMECA GERMANY GMBH RULMECA - AUSTRALIA MELCO Conveyor Equipment
e-mail: [email protected]
Aschersleben RULMECA MELCO AUSTRALIA (PTY) LTD
T e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
Turkey
Turkey
Leipzig
p g RULMECA Taüıma Aksamları Tic. Ltd. ûti.
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
Cementos Bio Bio’s storage structures: in service for 20 years

ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Owner: Cementos Bio Bio SA pozzolana, used in the cement production process.
Location: Curicó, Chile
Project highlights: DESIGN SELECTION
v 120m longitudinal dome for limestone storage Cementos Bio Bio contracted with a local engineering firm for
v 175m longitudinal dome for pozzolana storage the development of a conceptual storage solution. Because of
v 54m space frame for palletized cement storage the long spans required for the storage areas, it was concluded
that the greatest cost efficiency would be gained with a
OVERVIEW lightweight structural system. This recommendation
Founded in 1957, Cementos Bio Bio SA is one of Chile’s largest encompassed three storage structures for limestone, pozzolana,
companies involved in the production, distribution and sale of and cement bags to cover a total area of 17,000m2 .
cement, lime, concrete, mortar and aggregates. Located Based upon the conceptual recommendation, Cementos Bio
approximately 215km south of Santiago, the Curicó plant was Bio prepared technical specifications for the storage structures’
built alongside the
Pan-American highway
and designed to
produce 1mtpa
(million tonnes per
annum) of cement.
When built in
1996, the plant was
required to comply
with strict
environmental
regulations, which
mandated covering
MAY 2017

areas used to store

and pre-blend
materials, such as
limestone and DCi

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 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
GEOMETRICA’S STRUCTURES

Limestone — Pozzolana — Palletized storage -

longitudinal longitudinal space frame
Plan dimensions (m) 52 x 120 50 x 175 38 x 54
Height (m) 20 20 13
Material galvanized steel galvanized steel galvanized steel
Openings 3 vehicle, 2 personnel 6 vehicle, 4 personnel —
Structural bars (qty) 30,250 43,442 9,095
Hubs (qty) 10,000 14,423 2,422
Covered area (m2) 6,498 8,978 2,052
Cladding area (m2) 10,209 14,627 2,100

tender. Technical specifications included the geometric attractive arched framed walls. Several openings are provided
parameters to allow for the operability of the longitudinal longitudinally for belt conveyors to go into and out of the
stacking, blending and reclaiming processes. Two alternatives stockpiles.
were considered: local design and fabrication — or, purchasing The third enclosure for palletized storage, consists of a
from a global supplier. reticulated roof structure with a 12% slope. The roof structure
Ultimately, Geometrica won the contract. Cementos Bio Bio is supported on perimeter steel columns spaced at approximately
and Geometrica jointly completed the design requirements for 9m intervals.
the structures. Based upon these requirements, Geometrica All structures are made of galvanized steel tubular bars joined
designed the foundations and storage structures. by high-strength cylindrical aluminium connectors. Cladding is
made of galvanized and painted corrugated steel panels;
GEOMETRICA’S STRUCTURES translucent acrylic panels in a matching profile are used to allow
Geometrica supplied three bulk storage structures for limestone, natural light into the buildings.
pozzolana and palletized bags of cement. Not only lightweight, galvanized steel also provides corrosion
The two bulk material storage enclosures consist of resistance for years of worry-free storage with minimal
longitudinal structures constructed from circular arches maintenance.
supported on vertical walls. Both structures consist of triangular The domes were pre-fabricated in Geometrica’s plant located
reinforced ribs spaced at 4.2m intervals with a reticular in Monterrey, Mexico with a quality- and computer-controlled
membrane infill. The ends of both structures are formed by process (ISO 9001:2008 certification, EN 1090, and BS OHSAS

MAY 2017

DCi

127
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Dome Technology develops cost-competitive

direct-load-out system for cement and fly ash
Dome Technology has developed
its Drive-Thru DomeSilo™ for
cement and fly-ash storage,
allowing companies to fill truck
or rail directly from the storage
structure and speeding up the
process of product reception to
delivery, writes Rebecca Long
Pyper for Dome Technology.
The Drive-Thru DomeSilo
incorporates a fill pipe, storage
vessel, ladder access, truck scale
and appropriate foundation.
Dome Technology sales manager
Lane Roberts said, “Cement
companies can save on building a
single drive-through storage
facility by eliminating the need for multiple mechanical become possible to be competitive in the smaller-storage
systems, two operators and multiple structures,” Roberts market,” Bateman said, adding that improvements in
said, noting that the DomeSilo is less expensive to build than construction equipment have also increased the company’s
a silo of similar capacity. ability to compete with storage of this scale. “With advances
The new model allows for direct load-out, where stored in technology and through our relationship with equipment
product flows through a hopper for direct load-out into the manufacturers, we now have construction equipment that can
truck or rail. The dome will provide 100% live reclaim be used to efficiently build this type of structure,” he said.
utilizing a fully aerated floor. “Dome Technology is providing According to Roberts, the Drive-Thru DomeSilo will
a full turnkey system, not just the storage bin,” said consulting compete with steel bins and surpass the protection they
engineer Doug Weber of Engineering System Solutions. offer. Constructed of reinforced concrete, the dome’s
According to Weber, the drive-through model could be thermal mass will minimize condensation common with steel
used for applications like grain in the future, but the structures, so the product will develop fewer lumps. Also,
extremely active cement market took priority because steel bins sweat as temperatures change day to night. The
demand for terminal storage is high. “Cement receiving, DomeSilo will mitigate this concern based on mode of
whether from a barge, shipping vessel or train, can be construction. A PVC membrane surrounding the entire
unloaded into the dome and then directly loaded into trucks dome prevents water and moisture from seeping in, blocking
or rail cars. This system directly competes with bolted steel the introduction of outside water into the product. The
tanks and drive-through concrete silos. Due to the unique dome’s insulated nature reduces heating and cooling of the
construction techniques, this storage vessel is quickly walls and air inside, preventing condensation from forming on
constructed and very competitive,” Weber said. the interior. The concrete provides humidity control and
The Drive-Thru DomeSilo can be used as a day bin when moderate externally generated temperature fluctuations. A
built on a small scale, but in actuality “it’s more like a drive- dome provides ideal conditions for stored materials requiring
through silo — it can store so much more than a typical steel a controlled environment, Roberts said.
day bin,” Roberts said. The dome’s dimensions will vary by The centrepiece of the drive-through model is the
project and customer need; the bin size will likely range from reinforced concrete DomeSilo based on the same innovations
1,500 to 15,000 tonnes and will work well storing the typical as other Dome Technology bulk-storage domes. This model
drive-through capacity of 4,000 to 10,000 tonnes. However, has proven strong enough to weather extreme wind and
by utilizing a fluidized floor system, “you could easily apply seismic events and even projectile penetration. Based on its
this same concept to a 60,000-tonne DomeSilo,” Dome geometry, the dome can also support large loads at the apex,
Technology CEO Bradley Bateman said. “There is no limit on such as those present with headhouses and conveyor
the storage size for this technology.” systems. The dome’s geometry also allows the structure to
Perhaps one point of interest is the range of benefits be completely filled to maximize its storage capacity —
available with this model. According to Weber, the direct something steel bins cannot do.
load-out system is cost competitive and reduces power The Drive-Thru DomeSilo uses proven technology
consumption and overall maintenance as compared to a combined with new construction equipment providing an
MAY 2017

separate storage and load-out bin. Dome Technology has improved option for load-out systems. “We are using proven
been building bulk-storage domes for more than 40 years, but technology — combining them in a way that hasn’t been
“due to innovations in our construction process, it has now done in the past,” Bateman said.
DCi

128
 EQUIPMENT
18001 certification). Every single component was custom-made, to promote environmental responsibility in an industrial setting.
marked, and then sorted into substructures in the exact order Geometrica stands apart as one of the few companies with
that the structures needed to get built. The modules were the breadth of experience and expertise to deliver such
packaged into crates, then containerized and shipped to site. lightweight, durable — and equally beautiful — storage solutions.

CONSTRUCTION
Construction was carried out entirely
with locally-sourced labour and
supported with a site consultant from
Geometrica. No welding was required
since all of the structure’s connections
were joined with Geometrica’s efficient,
mechanical hubs.
For the limestone and pozzolana
enclosures, the foundations consist of
pad footings connected by longitudinal
concrete grade beams. Each arch was
assembled on the ground in two
sections, lifted by cranes and joined at
the apex. The reticular infill membrane
was assembled in the air between
MAINTAIN PRODUCTION
arches. After erecting the complete & REDUCE MAINTENANCE
structure, the galvanized steel and
with Martin® Hurricane Air
acrylic cladding panels were installed.
The foundation for the cement bag Cannons & SMART™ Series Nozzles
storage building used a similar systems Martin® Air Cannons effectively remove
of pad footings joined by grade beams blockages and buildups in piroprocess applications
The three-dimensional structure was and when paired with the NEW SMART™ Series
fully assembled on the ground and lifted Nozzles, maintenance is quicker and easier than ever.
vertically into position.

RESULTS
Cementos Bio Bio has continued to
grow and improve its position in the
cement sector throughout Chile.
Following an expansion of the Curicó
plant in 2008, the installed capacity is
approximately 1,700,000mtpa of cement.
It seems like only yesterday when we
installed these storage structures in
Chile. And now, 20 years later, the bulk
storage structures still contain the dust
Patented
from stacking and blending of raw technology
materials, helping meet the plant’s
environmental goals.
call 309.852.2384 or 800.544.2947
The environment, is also protected
by Geometrica’s structures. This three- email [email protected]
structure project exemplifies the ability visit martin-eng.com
A GLOBAL FAMILY ® Registered trademark of Martin Engineering Company in the US and other select locations. © 2017 Martin Engineering Company.
Intellectual property information can be obtained at www.martin-eng.com/trademarks and www.martin-eng.com/patents.
ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

STM: Italian expertise to support RCC concrete placing operations

Italian company STM specializes in the engineering and
supply of belt conveyor systems for bulk materials Neckertal Dam in Namibia.
handling facilities. STM offers its customers a full
range of project services: engineering, fabrication and
commissioning. At every step, it develops flexible,
individual and effective solutions. Therefore, STM is
able to create equipment of any size and complexity,
which fully meets its customers’ needs.
The whole supply process, from feasibility studies
to final delivery and commissioning, is completely
implemented in STM’s factory, which is located at the
company’s headquarters in Tito Scalo (Potenza), in
Italy. This makes it possible for STM to optimize the
design, the industrialization time and the information
exchange with the customer.

STM: LONG EXPERIENCE IN RCC DAMS

STM has wide experience in the dam market, and has
fine-tuned its expertise during many projects
worldwide (Namibia, Canada, Malaysia, Ethiopia,
Morocco, Turkey, Sudan), enabling it to develop even
more innovative solutions for bulk material handling in
order to meet the needs of all its customers.
In particular, in the RCC (roller compacted
concrete) dam field, STM has developed the whole
material handling process — for moving the
aggregates to the cooling and batching plant, and for
the RCC concrete from the batching plant to the dam
site.
STM works in strong partnership with the
customer to develop the best solution for crushing
plants, to provide an efficient and effective system to
handle the material flows. The system engineered
from STM in some plants for handling aggregates allows for only Contractors are increasingly looking for equipment able to
one overland conveyor for all the different lump sizes. A PLC guarantee them continuous feeding with flexible use mode. This
system automatically manages the flow of different materials, with will enable them to reduce the entire duration of the
an easy and flexible logic. construction site; and to meet operational, financial,
environmental requirements and to deliver such important
RCC CONCRETE PLACING SOLUTIONS infrastructure to the local community as soon as possible. These
STM developed a specific system for the concrete placement, features are provided by a conveyor line able to follow the dam
both for conventional concrete and for RCC. as it grows, with special devices such as elevation tools for
RCC concrete is mainly employed for gravity dams. conveyors and distribution devices like swingers, crawler placers,
tripper conveyors.
The new swinger conveyor, specially developed by
STM, for the Neckertal Dam in Namibia. Namibia – Neckartal
Dam
At the moment, STM is
working to install the belt
conveyor package at
Neckartal Dam, in the
Karas region of Namibia.
The Neckartal dam will be
made from RCC concrete
and will stand around 80
metres high. The volume of
the RCC dam is 750,000m3
with 450m of STM
MAY 2017

conveyors installed.
On this occasion, STM is
providing a cutting-edge and
DCi complex plant that is able

130
 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
to lift to follow the
growth of the dam wall.
Of particular note,
STM developed the new
swinger conveyor — a
special conveyor with
main features of rotating
(even up to 360°) and
self-elevation — to meet
the needs of the
contractors, who want
equipment that can
ensure uninterrupted
feeding.
Undoubtedly, the
swinger is an effective
solution to follow the Graphic depicting the tower
elevation of the dam, but at the Neckertal Dam.
it is necessary to modify
the height of the
conveyor which feeds the swinger as well. To reach this goal the north of Kuala Lumpur in the state of Pahang. The main
conveyor, with another upper conveyor which discharges the component is the construction of the dam on the Bertram River,
material in it, is located on a self-lifting 60-metre tower which is more than 80 metres high and constructed entirely using the
provided with a lifting system. advanced technology of RCC. The volume of RCC dam is
The tower is composed of an internal tower supported by an 750,000m3 and has a total length of 850 metres of STM conveyor
external one during the lifting phase. In the internal tower, there installed.
is a one-metre base to which additional modules are added and a The RCC conveyor line is mainly composed of a stationary
last fixed module. This module is the place where the two hopper, a special feed conveyor and five bridge conveyors, as well
conveyors are located: the upper one discharges the RCC in a as the swinger conveyor. The stationary hopper is a useful piece
lower conveyor which reaches the swinger. of equipment that allows the conveyor line to have the necessary
Hydraulic cylinders are used to lift the external tower that balance of output from batching plant with a consequent
has to sustain the fixed module; when this is raised it is possible constant filling rate on conveyor and effective RCC placement.
to insert the additional modules. Each module is six metres high. The bridge conveyors are placed down along the slope of the
This innovative lifting solution allows the belt conveyors to have mountain and equipped with a self-supporting steel lattice
a 3° inclination range, indeed it can have a minimum inclination structure, with a 50 metre free span.
of –20° and reach a maximum inclination of +20°. STM has designed and developed an innovative swinger
Customers greatly appreciate this solution, because it satisfies conveyor. It is a special conveyor capable of 360° rotation that
one of the more compelling needs of contractors who use follows the growth of the dam changing the slope of the
concrete as a construction material. conveyors (span = 50 metres) for the distribution of the
concrete.
Malaysia – Susu Dam (Ulu Jelai Hydroelectric Project) STM has been able to reach these outstanding achievements
Another valuable example in this field is the Ulu Jelai Dam in thanks to the company’s focus on: expertise in every area of
Malaysia. STM was awarded a contract to supply the belt activity; strong attention to the customer; passion for innovation
conveyor system. The project is located approximately 200km and improvement; and close attention to quality.

Ulu Jelai Dam in Malaysia.

MAY 2017

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ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT

Maximizing cement dust filtration efficiency with new technology

Blocked filter cartridge.

Particle filters are an essential component of a cement storage problems. With time and regular filling/emptying of cement,
silo, providing safe ventilation of air without expelling product eventually the cleaning system will not be able to remove
into the atmosphere. However, this leads to product being powder entrained in the filter. If dusty air cannot be cleaned and
entrained in the filters, resulting in loss of efficiency and creating escape through the filters then it will blow out through the
risk. UK-based silo pressure safety experts Hycontrol point out pressure relief valve. This poses a significant risk as cement
that during the pneumatic filling of storage silos excess pressure carried in the air-flow will harden when mixed with atmospheric
can become trapped inside. The dangers posed by over- moisture, leading to the PRV becoming blocked over time. This
pressurization of silos should not be taken lightly. problem becomes acute during the filling process if increasing air
An efficient air filtration system is an essential part of a pressure inside the silo cannot be safely vented. In the past, this
comprehensive silo protection system. Filter housings mounted has led to silos rupturing or the filter unit physically being ejected
at the top of silos are designed to vent air blown in during filling, from the silo roof by pressure. Consequences of such an
whilst preventing cement dust particles from escaping into the incident could include:
atmosphere. Designs vary, but modern systems are usually based v serious, even fatal injury to workers or the public;
on filtration using either bag filters or cartridge filters which v catastrophic silo damage;
utilize porous media to trap dust particles. As the replaceable v loss of material and production;
filter media becomes entrained with dust and filtration efficiency v harmful environmental pollution; and
v damage to company reputation and significant Health & Safety
MAY 2017

drops, users should be able to easily remove them to insert fresh

filters. Normally filter housings are fitted with some form of self- fines.
cleaning system.
DCi Blocked filters are a common contributor to silo protection Key to ensuring reliable filtration is the velocity of air flow within

132
 ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT
Figure 1.

Traditional design Hyvent design

the filter unit casing between the cartridges. This is referred to that will become re-entrained into the filter media, resulting in
as the ‘can velocity’. better performance and a longer lifespan for the filter cartridges.
Can velocity must be consistent along the full length of the Finally, the design results in greater cleaning efficiency by the
filter at a sufficient strength that allows the dust dislodged during compressed air jet. Figure 1 shows the flow of compressed air
pulse cleaning to escape from the into the cartridge and the reduction
cartridge surface and fall away into Hycontrol’s in dust expulsion resulting from
the vessel below. If the velocity is Hyvent unit. decreasing air pressure. Traditional
too low, the loss of pressure cartridge filters (on the left) suffer
towards the bottom of the filter from reduced air flow towards the
cartridges (furthest from the air jet bottom as pressure is lost.
nozzles) will not be enough to Conical filters (shown on the
dislodge the dust particles resting right) offer an improvement by
in the filter. If the velocity is too evenly distributing pressure down
high, dislodged dust is re-entrained through the cartridge, maximizing
in the air flow and is re-deposited product removal. The tapering of
on the cartridges — or dust is the inner core of the filter elements
simply blasted from one filter enhances the effectiveness of the
cartridge into its neighbour. compressed air jet, giving a more
The latest advances in filter even clean over the length of the
technology, utilized in Hycontrol’s cartridge. Collectively these
Hyvent unit, allow for greatly features mean the new-style filters
increased airflow within the vent have a longer functional life and
unit, whilst simultaneously reducing offer a higher consistency of
air velocity from below. This has performance.
been achieved by changing to a A modern, high-efficiency filter
conical filter shape, as opposed to unit should fulfil several criteria:
the old-style cylindrical cartridges. v easy access to filter cartridges
By greatly increasing the space for maintenance and changing;
for free air flow from below the v correctly-calculated size to deal
can velocities are reduced. Lower with the maximum volume of
velocities of circulating air make it air-flow;
easier for dust particles to drop v efficient self-cleaning system
out of suspension back into the (ideally reverse pulse air jets
vessel below, thereby reducing re- firing down into the filters); and
entrainment into the cartridges. v latest enhanced filter cartridge
The increased space between the design to ensure optimum
filters reduces the likelihood of performance.
MAY 2017

dust being passed to neighbouring cartridges, particularly when

the airborne dust is moving at a lower velocity. This will help Hycontrol recommends thorough service assessments of filter
quicken the rate at which the dust drops out of the filter. The units be conducted every six to twelve months depending on the
less dust that is retained circulating in the filter unit, the less dust frequency of filling. DCi DCi

133
textile packaging l consumer bags l rrecycling
ecycling l
 Big Bags

BREAKBULK & BAGGING

B AGGING & FIBC S
Jay Venter

120 Big Bags per hour: high-speed packaging taken to a new level — STATEC
BINDER sets international standards
STATEC BINDER is recognized for its high quality and precision and paper bags with filling weights of 5kg up to 50kg and big bags.
in High Speed Packaging & Palletizing and at the end of 2016, the With 40 years’ experience STATEC BINDER is a worldwide
company has once again confirmed its reputation. A Big Bag market leader in high performance open-mouth bag packaging
station in Austria went into operation, which is capable of filling and stands for absolute reliability, innovation and precision.
up to 120 bags of granulated fertilizer per hour. At 80 Big Bags
per hour, the machines already count as being amongst the
fastest in the industry — therefore the company confirmed
quite impressively the position of STATEC BINDER as one of
the world‘s leading suppliers of packaging machines.

UNIQUE HIGH SPEED TECHNOLOGY

The product passes through a weighing container and filler neck
into the 600kg capacity, woven polypropylene bags. The proven
dosing and weighing system ensures maximum accuracy.
As soon as the employee attaches the empty bag to the filler
neck and it is held by the pneumatic bag clamp, the inner bag of
polyethylene is inflated by a fan and filled with the granulated
fertilizer. A second employee then opens the bag clamp and
closes the inner bag. Due to the integral strap on the Big Bag,
up to three Big Bags can be threaded and removed by a fork lift
truck at the end of the conveyor belt.

ABOUT STATEC BINDER

STATEC BINDER is a global specialist in providing flexible
solutions for packaging and palletizing of bulk goods. Located
near Graz in Austria the company has already supplied more
than 1,100 machines all over the world.
MAY 2017

Whether petrochemical, animal feed production, rice, seeds,

sugar or fertilizer, the high quality product range offers
customer-specified solutions for all industries. The packaging
systems are offered for polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) DCi

135
 BREAKBULK & BAGGING
Mondi shows paper-based bag solutions at interpack that pack more than
expected
At this year’s interpack trade fair, held 4–10 May 2017,
Mondi’s Industrial Bags business presented paper-based bag
solutions that protect sensitive powdery filling goods,
prolong product shelf life, meet the highest safety and
hygiene standards, and are easy to handle. In particular, the
company showcased customer solutions for three industries
in focus: food & beverages, home & personal care and
building & construction.
Among Mondi’s broad range of solutions for the featured
customer industries, the following product highlights could
be seen at interpack:

v Hot Lock Bag® for high hygiene and safety standards

required by the food industry
v SPLASHBAG for protecting moisture-sensitive building
and construction material from rain
v Eco bag series for sustainable solutions in the home and
personal care industry

PE-inliner bags with Hot Lock Bag® sealing are Mondi’s

reliable solution for the particular needs of the food industry.
Food producers require packaging that meets stringent
health and hygiene standards. Produced under strict hygienic
conditions, these open mouth bags combine functional
features for easy closure, reliable storage and convenient
opening.
v The PE-Inliner bag acts as a moisture barrier for hygienic
and safe packaging and optimal protection. It can be
sealed separately after filling for increased protection.
v The Hot Lock® sealing technology ensures reliable

closing under strict hygiene standards.

v Sustainable: the PE inliner can be easily separated from
the outer paper ply for optimal recyclability.

SPLASHBAG is a water-resistant paper bag that meets the

needs of customers in the building and construction industry. It
was developed in collaboration with cement producer
LafargeHolcim. SPLASHBAG is particularly suitable for
protecting moisture-sensitive filling goods. It is made from
Mondi’s wet-strengthened, machine-finished Advantage Protect
sack kraft paper, and is formulated to maintain high tensile
strength even in wet environments.
As a result, SPLASHBAG absorbs less moisture than
conventional paper bags and maintains the integrity of the
product quality, while at the same time matching the filling speed
of standard paper bags. Even after two hours of direct exposure
to rain, SPLASHBAG can still be moved, handled and emptied
without difficulty. It significantly reduces bag breakage rates,
leading to genuine cost savings through reduced waste, lower
vehicle and site clean-up costs, fewer trips from warehouse to
MAY 2017

site and time savings for logistics and site managers.

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BREAKBULK & BAGGING
Reusable PVC bulk bags are the Wright Choice
whilst they are rested or packaged ready for shipping. It’s vital,
therefore, that the bags are strong, reliable, and reusable.”
Experts in fabricating long life products from heavy-duty
flexible reinforced fabrics, Structure-flex supplies and
manufactures a range of bulk packaging systems from 500kg up
to 24 tonnes in capacity — ideal for a wide variety of industries.
The concept of the bulk bag is a simple but effective one.
Specifically designed and manufactured from reinforced
thermoplastic-coated material, the bag is the ultimate reusable,
multi-trip container for use in demanding applications and
environments.
Structure-flex tailor produce the bags in a variety of colours,
shapes, and sizes, with the option of applying specific lifting
When it comes to baking and what goes into making high quality mechanisms such as straps or rings, or including drawstrings,
products, family-owned GR Wright’s has learned a thing or two special closures, skirts, or baffles to correspond with the
over its 150 year history. A tradition of quality, innovation, and required filling and discharging equipment.
best production practices have enabled the business to survive This customization was another important feature for
as London’s only remaining miller and to expand its product Wright’s: “We blend a number of different products in the
range to include a range of baking ingredients and mixes. factory and each bulk bag needs to be re-used for the
“Over five generations, the Wright’s name has been production of the same blend of ingredients. To meet with our
synonymous with superior quality” explains Richard Phipps, rigorous control processes, a colour coding and numbering
Factory Manager at Wright’s Baking Ingredients division. “To system is used so that every bag can be tracked through
meet the increasingly stringent standards expected in the food production and identified at each stage.
industry, it is very important that the very highest standards are “Hygiene is also critical factor for us and all our products
maintained throughout the entire production cycle and that comply with strict health and safety regulations. Cleanliness and
includes continuous investment in the facilities and plant.” the ease of cleaning was an important consideration and, with
So, when it came to choosing 150 new bulk storage bags for the life expectancy of each bag being many years, they will have
use in its state of the art production facility at the company’s to undergo the cleaning process a large number of times during
multi-million pound development at Delta Park, Enfield, Wright’s that period.”
turned to one of Europe’s leading suppliers of flexible fabric As Structure-flex’s thermoplastic bulk bags are capable of a
products, Structure-flex. great number of uses and can last for many years, they are very
Phipps continued: “The bulk storage of the ingredients that cost effective and have a reduced environmental impact
go to make up our speciality mixes is a crucial part of the compared with disposable alternatives.
production process and the one tonne bags are used during the Phipps concluded: “The bulk bag technology has been the
manufacture of the mixes and for their temporary storage after best solution for our needs and the flexibility of use and
they have been combined. customization of the product has enabled them to dovetail in
“The bags are moved through the facility as the manufacture with our processes. Wright’s has purchased bulk bags from
process progresses and, depending on the ingredients, the final Structure-flex for a number of years and never any issues with
mixes are stored for anything up to two days in the factory any of them.”

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 BREAKBULK & BAGGING
The cement sack of the future at Chinaplas 2017
When it comes to safe and sustainable processes to a much higher degree. This
packaging for bulk goods, there is no would greatly benefit the ongoing
overlooking the Starlinger AD*STAR® block modernization on the Chinese cement
bottom valve sack. Produced in a heat sector.”
sealing process from coated polypropylene
woven fabric, this sack outperforms all 140 SACKS PER MINUTE AND MORE
comparable products in terms of break AD*STAR® block bottom valve sacks are
resistance and durability and is also versatile, produced using a special heat sealing
economical and environment-friendly. process on ad*starKON conversion lines
The latter has been confirmed by a from Starlinger. These lines achieve
recent life cycle analysis, in which production speeds of 100 to 140 sacks per
AD*STAR® sacks scored better than either minute, operating on the basis of the heat
sewn cement sacks made from sealing process patented by Starlinger.
polypropylene tape fabric or paper cement ad*starKON conversion lines feature a
sacks. This study, which compared AD*STAR® cement sacks wide range of product options: In addition to block bottom
with cement sacks from China (sewn sacks made of recycled sacks with or without valve, as well as lined and BOPP laminated
woven polypropylene tape fabric) and Saudi Arabia (paper block bottom sacks, they can produce AD*STAR® *carry bags
sacks), shows that AD*STAR® sacks have the lowest greenhouse and REICO*STAR® block bottom sacks made of spunbonded
potential of them all. Also by other criteria such as acidification fabric. Quick, simple and almost entirely automated format
potential, ozone depletion potential, energy and water changeover offers sack producers maximum flexibility for the
consumption, they were demonstrably the most eco-friendly. production of varying sack sizes and designs.
“A changeover to AD*STAR® sacks for cement packaging would Starlinger will be at Chinaplas, Guangzhou/China, May 16 –
be of special interest to China,” says Hermann Adrigan, sales 19, 2017, Austrian Pavilion, W1B41
director of Starlinger, assessing the situation. “Not only would it
ease the impact on the environment by considerably reducing Note: AD*STAR® and REICO*STAR® are registered trademarks.
CO2 emissions, but using AD*STAR® sacks would enable the AD*STAR® and REICO*STAR® sacks are produced exclusively on
automation of the entire chain of cement filling and transport Starlinger machines.

interpack: Starlinger presents trendsetting woven packaging made of PP and rPET

In keeping with the motto official market launch last October at
“Sewing is the past”, this year’s the K exhibition in Duesseldorf, the
exhibit by Starlinger & Co. first IC*STAR® conversion lines have
Ges.m.b.H. at interpack in already been delivered and installed.
Duesseldorf featured live
production of IC*STAR® FROM BOTTLE TO SACK – WOVEN
(I = Innovative, C = Closing) PACKAGING FOR CONSUMER GOODS
sacks. FROM RPET FLAKES
These are produced on the Another focus of the Starlinger exhibit
new conversion line multiKON was woven packaging from rPET flakes.
KX, equipped with the sealTEC This new technology developed by
bottom closing module Starlinger is meeting with lively interest
developed by Starlinger in co-operation with the Austrian in the packaging sector: it uses material from used PET
packaging systems manufacturer Statec Binder. The IC*STAR® packaging such as bottles to produce tapes for weaving and,
method involves the welding of a closure strip onto the sack from these, big bags and sacks. Especially in consumer goods
bottom by means of hot air in a continuous process, without packaging, many stakeholders already place high priority on
the need for glue. The sack mouth remains open and, after sustainability. “Sacks made from PET are noted for their specific
automated filling, can be either closed with another closure strip characteristics such as stiffness, effective grease barrier and
or sewn shut. “The big advantage of IC*STAR® sacks is that, aroma protection. These make them the ideal packaging for all
unlike sewn sacks, they are sealed completely tight with the kinds of consumer goods,” comments Stéphane Soudais, general
welded closure strip,” explains Hermann Adrigan, sales director manager of Starlinger’s Consumer Bags Division. “PET is also
for Starlinger. “The IC*STAR® construction also practically one of the few types of plastic which enable closed loop
eliminates the seam allowances required for sewn sacks, and production. With our technology we can make PET bottle flakes
greater strength in the sack bottom enables the use of lighter directly into woven tape fabric, which is then used in production
fabric. Both factors add up to cost savings in raw material – in of container bags or consumer goods packaging like the
this case polypropylene – and a reduction of the carbon PP*STAR pinch bottom sack laminated with BOPET film. The
footprint. Our customers are sensitive to these arguments.” The rPET sacks are recyclable after use and can be used in the
MAY 2017

new process lends itself to production of coated or uncoated production of new sacks or for other applications.” DCi
IC*STAR® sacks, as well as sacks with gussets. Oil-free
production makes them ideal for packaging food products such Note: PP*STAR® and IC*STAR® are registered trademarks. PP*STAR®
as rice, coffee, salt, sugar or flour in bulk quantities. Since the and IC*STAR® sacks are produced exclusively on Starlinger machines. DCi

139
 I N D E X O F A DV E R T I S E R S
Company Page Company Page
Alex Stewart International Corporation Ltd 74 Maschinen und Mühlenbau Erhard Muhr GmbH 89
Associated Terminals LLC 41 MRS Greifer GmbH 48
Bedeschi SpA 98 Nectar Group Ltd 87
Beumer Group GmbH & Co KG 49 Neuero Industrietechnik GmbH Inside Back Cover
Bulk Logistic Landmark 55 NK Tehnologija SIA 23
Buttimer Engineering 61 ORTS GmbH Maschinenfabrik 90
Cimbria Unigrain A/S 70 Ovet BV 81
Cleveland Cascades Ltd 126 PEBCO® 43
Coaltrans Conferences Ltd 136 PHB Weserhütte, S.A. 73
Conductix-Wampfler 85 Port of Dunkerque 21
DCL, Incorporated 10 RBL-REI France 104
Doppelmayr Transport Technology GmbH 50 RULMECA HOLDING S.P.A. 124
E-Crane World Wide / E-Crane International USA 53 SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd (AUMUND Group) 95
Fednav Ltd 15 SENNEBOGEN Maschinenfabrik GmbH Front Cover
FLSmidth Inc. 120 SIBRE - Siegerland Bremsen GmbH 111
Gambarotta Gschwendt Inside Front Cover Starlinger & Co. Gesellschaft m.b.H. 134
Geometrica Inc 126 Stemm Equipos Industriales, S.L. 7
Getriebebau NORD GmbH & Co. KG 6 T. Parker Host, Inc. Back Cover
Golfetto Sangati s.r.l. 83 TBA Doncaster 111
Guven Grab and Machine Ltd. Co 3 Telestack Limited 45
Hempel A/S 29 Teufelberger Seil Ges.m.b.H 119
IBAU HAMBURG 116, 117 TMSA Tecnologia em Movimentação S/A 76
Igus GmbH 118 TTS Marine AS 12, 13
Konecranes 9 United Bulk Terminals USA, Inc. 28
Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH 79 Van Aalst Bulk Handling BV 114
Listenow GmbH & Co 119 Verstegen Grijpers BV 93
Mack Manufacturing Inc 89 VIGAN 64
Martin Engineering 129 Wuvio Chemicals International 95

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