Siwertell makes first UK delivery of multi fuel unloader

Following an order placed in March 2013, Siwertell, part of Cargotec, has delivered, installed and commissioned two Siwertell ship unloaders at ABP's port of Immingham, UK.

Manufactured and assembled in Italy, the type ST790-D screw type unloaders are equipped with slewable gantry tail conveyors. They will be used to discharge wood pellets and coal to supply the Drax power station. Both types of fuel will be unloaded at a rate of 1,200 tonnes per hour.

Siwertell says that ABP chose its unloaders after observing a similar Siwertell unit in operation at Mersey Docks in Liverpool, as well as reviewing a number of machines on the market and paying visits to various facilities across Europe.

'Our customer was impressed by the conveyor's continuous high capacity, dust-free function and simple operation, even in wind speeds of up to 25m/s,' says Lars-Eric Lundgren, Siwertell's regional sales manager for Europe. 'One of ABP's main stipulations was that the level of cargo degradation should not exceed accepted limits. We were able to offer firm assurances on this matter, supported by numerous successful tests carried out by independent surveyors, along with testimonials from satisfied customers.'

This is the first Siwertell unloader delivery to the UK for combined coal/biomass handling. 'Pressure is building on UK companies to source more of their energy from renewable, low-carbon sources, and we anticipate a much greater demand for biomass used in combination with coal,' Lundgren adds.

In 2012, Drax announced plans to convert three of its six generating units to burn biomass. The first unit was converted in April 2013 and the second in October 2014.

 

SOURCE: Siwertell