Cameroon’s Kribi terminal tackles fugitive dust

One of those to benefit is Kribi Multipurpose Terminal (KMT), an emerging prime transhipment and in-transit hub in the Gulf of Guinea in Cameroon, and its led to a significant increase in productivity at the terminal. 

In the past year, KMT has handled 21 dry bulk vessels along with roughly 600,000 tonnes of raw materials including clinker, gypsum, limestone and petcoke, which are used for cement production.

“The eco hoppers enable KMT to handle these materials more efficiently, resulting in a significant increase in productivity, while suppressing dust emissions to make cargo handling operations safer for both workers and the environment,” said ICTSI spokesperson, Ronnel P. Javier.

Fugitive dust

Fugitive dust emissions are generated not only during port and terminal construction activities, but also during the loading and unloading of bulk cargo such as clinker, coal and limestone.

Port and terminal operators continue to device operational practices to prevent and control dust such as acquisition of specialised equipment to suppress the emissions attributed to handling of and storage of bulk materials.

The eco hoppers at KMT are the first ever introduced at any of the ICTSI terminals.

According to KMT chief operations officer, Poul Johansen, the eco hoppers “enable us to operate more efficiently leading to this milestone.”

“Aside from the productivity benefits, we also embrace the positive impact they have on the safety of our personnel and the environment,” he said.

“KMT embodies the ICTSI Group’s commitment to environmentally responsible operations and the introduction of eco hoppers in our operations this year is a significant step towards reaching our sustainability goals.”

Once the eco hoppers are deployed at a terminal, the equipment operator will drop the clinker grab-load into the hopper and all the dust generated is sucked out through four dust filters that feed the dust back into the hopper discharge flow.

“Compared to traditional hoppers, eco hoppers reduce dust emissions of clinkers during unloading operations,” Mr Javier said.

“By sucking up dust, it also reduces spills and waste. With a larger hopper capacity and a flow control system with valve, productivity is improved, and operations are shortened for better environmental protection.”

A similar greening endeavour was previously implemented in East Africa where TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), a multi-purpose non-profit organisation supporting growth of trade in Eastern Africa, recently placed an order with Samson Materials Handling Ltd for four eco hoppers with ATEX for deployment at the region’s biggest port of Mombasa.

TMEA said the eco hoppers provides a “dust control system that minimizes escape of dust during discharge and reduces running expenses on average by 30%.”

These eco hoppers has been reported to increase the rate of daily cargo discharge for every ship at the port of Mombasa from 3,000 tonnes per ship a day, to 10,000 tonnes.

The acquisition of the eco hoppers was a culmination of the port of Mombasa’s Green Port Policy developed and adopted in 2014/2015.