Innovative container KOTTA intended for application at MSCC Bronka underwent successful testing (photo)
As part of the project on development and introduction of a new technology for transshipment of loose cargo at MSCC Bronka (Multipurpose Sea Cargo Complex Bronka, Big Port St. Petersburg), Tulachermet PJSC (part of Industrial Metallurgical Holding) hosted the testing of KOTTA container, an innovative dry bulk container with a bottom discharge function. According to Fenix LLC, operator of MSCC Bronka, introduction of the new technology will be a major step towards shifting Russia’s export cargo from the ports of the Baltic states to domestic deepwater harbors on the Baltic Sea.
The container designed by КОТТА Container LLC is intended for transportation of metallurgical products including cast iron, hot briquetted iron and pellets.
When being tested at the premises of Tulachermet, the container was loaded with 33 t of cast iron, an emergency situation of heavy cargo falling into the container from 4-5 metres was simulated as well as the container discharge from a minimum height to imitate making of a ‘cushion’ on the hold bottom. The container was able to withstand all loads including impact load. No significant damage or permanent deformation was detected. The discharge process took about 3 seconds with caused minimal dusting.
In March, KOTTA container was tested at the territory of MSCC Bronka.
According to Aleksei Shukletsov, Executive Director of Fenix LLC, the project is interesting since no additional investments are required for port infrastructure and crane facilities. It contributes a lot to the prospects of attracting different types of export dry bulk cargo to Russian ports featuring no full-scale facilities of dedicated bulk terminals. That is about such cargoes as fertilizers or cast iron. This experience is of great significance for Bronka as it allows for the development of new technologies and opening up new opportunities for the Russian market of transport and logistics services.
“We have been keenly monitoring the development of this project and we were glad to offer our production facilities for testing of a new multi-purpose container, - commented Artur Parsegov, Logistics Director at the Management Company of Industrial Metallurgical Holding. – Taking into consideration insufficient port facilities for transshipment of ferrous metal in the Russian Federation, on the one hand, and unloaded container terminals, on the other hand, we do not rule out cooperation on transportation and transshipment of cast iron produced by Tulachermet in such containers. The test results have satisfied us.”
“We have obtained useful practical comments and proposals from the specialists of Tulachermet and we will introduce some structural changes into the container. We are going to discuss supplies of specialized spreaders for this type of discharge with RAM Spreaders, the leader in production of such devices,” added Sergey Nosyrev, designer and Director General of КОТТА Container LLC.
Introduction of the innovative container technology will contribute to attracting Russia’s exports cargo currently handled by neighboring states to deepwater Baltic ports of Russia including MSCC Bronka. As of today, annual transshipment of Russia’s dry bulk cargo via the Baltic states makes tens of millions of tons.
One of the key advantages of the container is its environmental friendliness: it lets handle cargoes featuring high risk of pollution with no environmental damage.
MSCC Bronka (Multipurpose Sea Cargo Complex Bronka) is a new deepwater terminal at the port of Saint-Petersburg. Its construction was completed in December 2015. The port’s water area and the access canal are 14.4 meters deep. The capacity of Bronka’s Phase 1 is 1.45 million TEUs and 260,000 units of Ro-Ro cargoes. In the future the MSCC Bronka expansion will help increase the facility's container throughput to 1.9 million TEUs. MSCC Bronka is operated by Fenix LLC.
Tulachermet PJSC (part of Industrial Metallurgical Holding) is Russia’s leading producer and exporter of commercial iron. Production facilities of the company let it produce more than 2 mln t of metal per year. Tulachermet offers more than 20 grades of cast iron for the Russian market and 9 grades of cast iron for exports to CIS countries, Western Europe, America and Asia.
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