Bruks Siwertell supplies ship unloader to Kuwait Portland Cement Co

Bruks Siwertell has recently completed the commissioning of an ST 490-M Siwertell ship unloader for returning customer, Kuwait Portland Cement Co. It was installed on a jetty in Shuaiba Port, Kuwait City, Kuwait, next to the operator’s existing rail-mounted ST 490-F Siwertell unit.

The ongoing performance of Kuwait Portland Cement Co’s original Siwertell ship unloader was one of the main reasons why the operator opted for a second unit. The new rail-mounted ship unloader handles various cement types and delivers a continuous material handling capacity of 800tph, discharging vessels up 80,000dwt. 

Both unloaders are designed to operate in Kuwait’s extremely hot climate. To accommodate predicted temperature rises in the region, the latest unit can withstand ambient summertime temperatures of up to 55°C. 

“Commissioning the new ship unloader in these very high temperatures was a challenge,” notes Bengt Svensson, senior contract manager of Bruks Siwertell. “However, we overcame it, and have now completed the installation and operator training. The new unloader has passed its performance tests, fulfilling the operator’s expectations.  

The new unloader features a new side tilt motion, which offers an enhanced reach into the corners of the cargo hold as well as under the hatch coamings. This additional manoeuvrability means that even less material is left for the clean-up phase, which reduces vessel turnaround times, raising the utilisation rate of the jetty and therefore profitability. 

Furthermore, all Siwertell unloaders offer a layer-by-layer unloading process, which minimises the chance of airborne emissions from avalanches in the cargo hold. The side tilt function adds to this capability.  

Both the current and new unloader are also equipped with a total capacity regulating system, maximising the use of each unit, and ensuring that they do not overfill the downstream conveying system. They can also directly discharge to bulk trucks via a truck loading arrangement underneath the ship unloader’s gantry. This configuration increases the flexibility and efficiency of the operation, claims Bruks Siwertell.