Cargotec develops self-unloading system
“The MacGregor material handling system is designed to overcome the problems that can be caused at bulk cargo loading terminals by the length and width of a vessel,” says Cargotec sales director, Johan Ericson. “It makes it possible for the shore-based loader to operate at a single point along the vessel, removing the need to move the loader, or the ship, or even both, during the loading process.
The vessel has two receiving hoppers, one on each side, and bulk material is loaded into one of these at up to 16,000 tonnes/hour by the shore-based loader. From the hopper, cargo is fed to the loading conveyor, which travels on rails in the upper part of the cargo hold and ensures continuous loading throughout the length of the hold. The conveyor is reversible so that it can distribute material to both ends.
To ensure that material is evenly distributed throughout the cargo hold, a slewable boom conveyor is fitted at each end of the loading conveyor. Optimum cargo distribution during loading removes the need for ballasting to minimise the bending and shear forces experienced when loading conventional multi-hold vessels.
The shore-based ship loader is connected to the receiving hopper with bellows, and there is no need to open the hatches during the loading process, resulting in a continuous, totally enclosed loading sequence. “This naturally delivers very real benefits for the crew, stevedores and the immediate surroundings,” Johansson says.
