Latvia-based Bleste Sia has introduced its new ‘Bleste Bucket’ bulk handling solution.
The company said that the Bleste Bucket is a modern iteration of the traditional bulk grab in container format (see picture) while also being an innovative yet simple product that improves dry bulk handling for companies looking for efficiency, cost and speed gains.
According to Dinis Hruscovs, Managing Director, Bleste Bucket, speeds up bulk cargo logistics, especially for terminals, and in a durable way. The bucket is reportedly manufactured to a very sturdy quality and with dimensions that suit terminals, trucks, vessels, and (mobile) cranes. “Dump trucks can drive right into the bucket, a unique feature. This means no spill-over onto the pier, reducing waste, dirt and dust as well as less time and cost spent on cleaning up afterwards. The crane operator then lifts the bucket from the pier onto the vessel to discharge, again with less dust than caused by, for example, orange-peel grabs.”
The company states that due to its smart design, there is no need for extra employees or equipment when using the Bleste Bucket - only a crane operator and dump truck driver are needed, perfect for environments where infrastructure or port handling equipment is scarce. The Bleste Bucket is reported to provide savings on time spent on loading and discharging, clean-up time and cost, and use of personnel.
The Bleste Bucket is additionally said to be especially useful for scarcely or non-equipped piers, as the Bucket can be handled on a vessel that already has a boom crane which makes for easier handling in those circumstances. Multiple cranes can be used for parallel loading, reportedly making it even more cost and time efficient. It also comes standard with links and chains for immediate hook-up with a crane, although as the bucket can actually take up to 30t of bulk, stronger links and chains can be installed if clients wish to use it at that capacity.
Bleste feels that Africa will be a key market this new product – where many piers and quaysides are not equipped with a crane. As the crane and bucket are already on the vessel, all that is needed is for the crane to move the Bleste Bucket on the pier for loading.
