Graviti offers low-cost flexible handling

A system with revolving spreaders to tip open top containers, is being used in bulk ports in Australia and Chile, handling copper and ore, while at TOC Europe in Rotterdam, PS came across a system called Graviti using purpose built top load/bottom discharge, bulk containers.

The technology, suitable for ship-loading, can be employed in conjunction with feeding cargo from a remote storage point to the load point with the optimum distance said to be no more than 1-5 km away. A reduction of ships time of up to 30 per cent and for grain cargo the minimisation of cargo loss and reduced contamination are said to be major advantages.

With five Graviti units for a short shuttle from warehouse to quay, this requires an initial investment of only US$150,000. Graviti claims attractive savings compared to the costs of traditional conveyor systems and tippers etc. It also provides an interesting benchmark against rotating spreaders, where their tare weight of 10-15 tonnes, reduces the lifting capacity.

The technology is flexible and adaptive and fits well with smaller ports handing a mixture of cargoes. Graviti units can be handled by mobile harbour and STS cranes using an existing ISO spreader and can employ standard terminal shuttle trailers for the warehouse to crane move.