Some information about WPG's transshipment system:CSLCSL...

Some information about WPG's transshipment system:

CSL
CSL transships around 32 million tonnes of various cargoes annually, with projects in Australia, Indonesia, Canada and the U.S.

The company?s 6mtpa contract with OneSteel uses two 12,000 dwt self-unloading barges. The barges travel between Port Augusta and unload at a floating offshore transshipment platform at a rate of 5,000 tonnes per hour.

This system is not indicative of a fixed approach from CSL, however. Ian Ives, the company?s director of transshipping operations in Australia said ?we tailor a particular system to whatever the requirements are for the particular area where you do the transhipping.

?You need to look at the cycle time, the availability of the stockpile and shore loading rate and the weather conditions. We look at each individual circumstance that comes along and we don?t believe there is one system that fits all, because every situation is different.?

An example of this is CSL?s contract for iron ore junior WPG Resources at Port Pirie, which plans to begin exports in 2012. Shallow draft self-unloading barges were designed especially for the Spencer Gulf?s shallow waters.

Unlike the small sheds of the Sea Transport system, WPG has built a substantial $50m shed at its onshore terminal. Ives said small storage capacities in the transhipment system ? onshore or on a floating platform ? can pose problems when multiple grades of ore are involved.

?OneSteel has a shed with 250,000 tonnes capacity. When you start dividing that up into different grades, the capacity drops to 150,000 tonnes, because you have to separate between your cargoes.? A floating platform ?would have exactly the same problem.?

The lead time for a transshipment operation depends upon the particular circumstances as well, Ives said. For OneSteel the system took 18 months, and WPG?s system just four months, as it only needed ?modifications to one of our self-unloaders.?


You can read full article below:

http://www.bulkhandling.com.au/news/print-editions/may-june-2011/maritime-trio-dominates-transshipment-for-miners