World Grain - October 2017 - 63

FEATURE: SHIP LOADERS/UNLOADERS UPDATE INFRASTRUCTURE

year; it now exports 5 million tonnes.
Barges bound for Santarém are typically
loaded in Porto Velho, bringing agribulk
cargoes from the west of the state of Mato
Grosso via the Madeira and Amazon
rivers. Ocean-going vessels departing
from Santarém with grain cargoes are
normally bound for ports in Central
America, Europe and Asia.
With a tidal range of as much as eight
meters, unloading operations alongside a
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fall of the tide wouldn't impact its position
in relation to the barges being unloaded.
Siwertell's compact and light weight
unloader with low energy consumption
and good environmental credentials was
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At the end of 2012, Cargill ordered
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enclosed screw-type barge unloader with
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was designed by Interocean, and Siwertell
worked closely with the company to
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Components for the unloader were
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commissioning on site.
Early in assembly, interference was
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existing conveyor equipment. Siwertell
said it was able to deal with the issue
in a satisfactory timeframe, and ironed
out other small issues during the
commissioning process.
Existing bulk conveying and storage
infrastructure had to be changed to cope
with the terminal's increased discharging
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added to the land-based storage and new
conveyor belts were installed to serve
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link these with the existing belt conveyor
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With the expanded facilities, Cargill can
unload barges directly to seagoing vessels
or to its warehouses for later export.
Before the expansion, Cargill used two
www.World-Grain.com / World Grain / October 2017

A Bühler Portalink installation in China. Photo courtesy of Bühler.

pneumatic unloaders. Although the new
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Siwertell unloader is in almost continuous
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to handle Panamax II class vessels
the existing unloaders were retained.
for a new grain terminal in China.
Cargill said it is important to have both
x One Portalink 600 for Bangladesh
systems in place to guard against any
x One Portalink 600, including
unforeseen issues.
conveyors and silo equipment for
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King Abdul Aziz Port in Saudi
operations to continue when parts need
Arabia.
to be replaced. As part of its contract with
Siwertell, Cargill purchased a large spare VIGAN COMPLETES PROJECTS IN
parts inventory, preferring to keep certain MOROCCO, SAUDI ARABIA
of the most critical parts in stock.
Mass Céréales Al Maghreb in
Casablanca, Morocco, recently installed
BÜHLER INSTALLING
a pneumatic unloading machine that was
PORTALINK GLOBALLY
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Bühler has completed the installation of XS7KH9,*$1PRGHO1,9KDVFDSDFLW\
Portalink and Portaload equipment at ports of 600 tph and is on rails with a span of 16
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is designed for heavy duty, high capacity ZLWK¿YHSQHXPDWLFYDOYHVDOORZLQJIRU
port operations and have a life expectancy either the loading of three lines of trucks,
of 40 years or more. Portalinks provide an the loading of railcars or the feeding of
automated mode with constant unloading the two quay conveyors to transfer grain
capacity for multiple hours.
to silos.
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7KLV SURMHFW ZKLFK ZDV 9,*$1¶V
x A Portalink 600 in Port Sudan that sixth installation in Morocco, has been in
will increase the total installed operation since January.
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7KH 1,9 XQORDGLQJ PDFKLQH LV
also included conveyors and other HTXLSSHG ZLWK D PHWHU ORQJ ERRP
equipment for a new grain silo. A that is designed for unloading of vessels
600-tph Portaload ship loader also RI XS WR  GHDGZHLJKW WRQQDJH
was added to the port.
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63
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World Grain - October 2017

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