Siwertell unloader overhaul reduces Panamax bulker discharge
from 12 days to three
8 September 2009
Overhauling two Siwertell ship unloaders at a power plant in the Philippines, combined with maintenance and operator training, has had an immediate and dramatic impact on turnaround times
When AES bought the Masinloc Power Plant in the Philippines the company was determined to prepare its business for the future, and part of this effort was a turnkey project to overhaul the two existing Siwertell ship unloaders at the plant. This project started in 2008 and is now complete.
“The owner now has two high-performing Siwertell unloaders, upgraded to the latest Siwertell design,” says Cargotec supervisor, Stefan Lundqvist, who has been stationed in the Philippines during the project, and has worked closely alongside colleagues in Sweden and Thailand. “Basic training for maintenance personnel and operational training for the operator was also provided. The training, in combination with the two newly-renovated Siwertell unloaders, has meant that the time taken by the plant to unload a Panamax-size ship has been cut from 12 days to little over three days!
“Much work has been done: all of the conveyers have been replaced and the latest screw design, with a long life expectancy, has been delivered. Also, all the old gears on the horizontal arm, vertical arm and feeder system have been replaced with new ones. Hydraulic cylinders have been upgraded to the new design with heavily polished stainless steel to prevent corrosion.”
“To achieve a cost-efficient operation for many years to come, the electrical system also had to be renovated such as replacement of the PLC system, updated software, new HMI-system and new radio system. In the final phase, the safety of the machines was improved by prominent safety labels and by providing updated manuals”.
Leon Ballard at AES says that the company is very satisfied with the renovation work carried out by Cargotec: from the two emergency repairs that initially got unloader 'B' into operation, to the final overhaul work to get both unloaders into their original design condition. “The unloaders have been very reliable since the overhaul was completed,” says Mr Ballard. “The Cargotec personnel on site were very professional and carried out their work as agreed in the contract, AES could not ask for a job as well done as this one.”
MacGregor is the global market-leading brand in marine cargo handling and offshore load-handling solutions. Customer-driven MacGregor engineering and service solutions for the maritime transportation industry, and the offshore load-handling and naval logistics markets are used onboard merchant ships, offshore support vessels, and in ports and terminals. www.macgregor-group.com
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