A port in Scotland has invested in a new machine to help it control and minimise its dust emissions from agri-bulk operations.
Forth Ports’ Port of Rosyth in Fife has taken delivery of a SAMSON ecological hopper, which is the first of its kind in the UK. It will be installed and commissioned to receive dry bulk materials such as grain and aggregates in the port’s new agri-bulk hub facility for Cefetra.
Derek Knox, senior port manager at Forth Ports, said: “It’s great to welcome the new SAMSON eco hopper into Rosyth. We are investing in our port to ensure the most efficient, dust free agri-hub for Cefetra as well as other bulk customers. We look forward to using the hopper on the next grain shipment due into the port in September.”
Dale Lockley, managing director of SAMSON Materials Handling, said: “The Forth Ports Group has considerable experience with the SAMSON range of equipment as there is already SAMSON ship loading and stockpiling equipment operating at their other ports, but this is the first Eco Hopper at Forth Ports, indeed the first SAMSON Eco Hopper in the UK.”
Dust containment
The Eco Hopper is designed to offer a high and reliable import capacity whilst minimising the escape of dust.
As dry bulk materials such as grain arrive by sea they are offloaded into the Eco Hopper using mobile harbour cranes.
At a little over 18m in height and made of reinforced steel, the Eco Hopper provides a sturdy and solid reception unit.
The Eco Hopper is topped by a tapered inlet shroud which minimises any dust generation caused by cross winds.
As the crane grab discharges the load, dust filter units situated on three sides of the hopper will keep any fugitive dust from spreading.
The grain then falls through the ‘Flex-Flap’ dust seal system which contains any further dust.
