Sarens Netherlands supports ship unloader overhaul

At Ertsoverslagbedrijf Europoort C.V. (EECV), situated in the Europoort area at the port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, a major maintenance operation is being executed on a continuous ship unloader for coal.

The scope of work included the detachment of the vertical unloading tower, weighing 150t and supported by means of a specially designed jacking frame. With four 250t climbing jacks, the unloading tower could be adjusted in height and secured. To keep the main beam of the unloader with the heavy counterweight in balance, ballast weights were connected with cables at two points. These cables are kept under tension by means of strand jacks and constantly monitored by load cells. The main ballast weighed 380t and an additional ballast weight of 80t was kept afloat.

Two telescopic cranes with capacities of 700t and 500t first lifted the 57t top frame and then the 101t L-frame. This L-frame is being swapped out with an upgraded unit, which had been delivered earlier by Sarens Netherlands. These lifts enable contractor FAM GmbH to execute all required maintenance work at ground level and adjust the top frame at the same time.

In late October, Sarens Netherlands lifted the frames again in the reverse order and connected them to the main girder. When the unloading tower is jacked up into the right position and coupled to the L-frame, the ship unloader is in balance again and then the ballast weights can be removed.

These activities are all part of a maintenance overhaul of the 3,000t/hr ship unloader. The machine is one of the world’s largest continuous coal unloaders for ships with tonnages up to 180,000 DWT. Dordrecht-based Sarens Netherlands was commissioned by FAM Magdeburger Forderanlage und Baumaschinen GmbH for the specialised transport and lifting activities, including the required heavy lift engineering.