18 August 2009

Planned to come into operation at the end of this year is a newly-designed Siwertell alumina ship loader from Cargotec. It is designed to load Kamsarmax-type vessels up to 80,000 dwt and is destined for a production plant in Barcarena, Para, which is located in Northeast Brazil.

The plant is owned by one of the world largest alumina producers, Alunorte. From an annual production of 1.6 million tonnes of alumina in 2000, by 2006, Alunorte yearly output had increased to 4.2 million tonnes and its latest planned expansion will increase this figure to around 6.3 million tonnes per year.

Cargotec was contracted to replace the company existing belt-type ship loader, which needs to be changed because of problems related to high dust emissions. Cargotec new Siwertell ship loader is built on a different design concept, than the old existing loader, explains Mr Douglas Wichers, Sales Manager for bulk terminals. The new design is based on a totally-enclosed air slide system and a Cleveland cascade-type vertical telescopic loading spout. In combination with two dust collectors at the transfer points, this will be a very efficient loading system when it comes to the elimination of dust emissions into the environment.

The loader is based on a travelling gantry design with one horizontal arm capable of slewing and luffing motions and is fitted with a vertically adjustable loading spout. The operator cabin is located on a cabin arm extended out over the ship hold. This allows the operator to have a perfect view over the loading operation.

The designed loading capacity of the new alumina ship loader is 2,500t/h, but due to the feeding capacity from land-side tube conveyors this is reduced to about 2,000t/h. The loader can obviously not process more than the incoming material flow, Mr Wichers notes. If Alunorte decides to increase the tube conveyor capacity, then the Siwertell loader is already prepared for such an increase.

Alunorte was founded through an agreement between the Japanese and Brazilian Governments. Its ownership comprises: 57 per cent AluVale; 34 per cent Norsk Hydro; and the remaining shares are divided between Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Nippon Aluminium.

[ends]

For further information please contact:
Jonas Fack, Sales director, Bulk Terminals
Tel. +46 42 858 05
E-mail: jonas.fack@cargotec.com

Cargotec improves the efficiency of cargo flows by offering solutions for the loading and unloading of goods on land and at sea wherever cargo is on the move. Cargotec main daughter brands for cargo handling Hiab, Kalmar and MacGregor are global market leaders in their fields. Cargotec global network offers extensive services that ensure the continuous, reliable and sustainable performance of equipment. Cargotec sales totalled EUR 3.4 billion in 2008 and it employs approximately 11,000 people. Cargotec class B shares are quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. www.cargotec.com

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