Forty years of handling coal

The first bulk carrier carrying coal docked at Rhenus Midgard’s Bulk Terminal Wilhelmshaven (BTW) in 1976. Since then, the facility has handled more than 60 million t of coal for local power plants and consignees further inland. In 2015, the terminal handled its highest amount of coal: 3.65 million t. The terminal was modernised and extended between 2008 and 2013 to handle future demand.

“Handling coal is an important mainstay for Rhenus Midgard’s business in Wilhelmshaven. Again and again, we’ve managed to create the conditions to ensure that vessels are unloaded quickly and reliably. The extension work completed during the last few years has created one of the most efficient coal terminals in Europe,” said Matthias Schrell, Managing Director of Rhenus Midgard in Wilhelmshaven.

BTW is the only facility in Germany that is able to handle fully-laden capesize vessels with a load-carrying capacity of up to 250 000 t and a draught of 18.50 m. The equipment there also includes Europe’s most modern wagon loading unit with a loading capacity of 2000 tph; its technology ensures that the load factor in the wagons is higher than 99%.

“Using the extended and modernised equipment that has been installed, we’re aiming to gradually increase the annual record handling figure of 3.65 million t, which was achieved at the site in 2015. Our next goal is to move towards an annual volume of 5 million t. Looking even further into the future, it will be possible to handle double this figure at the BTW,” said Schrell emphatically, as he looks forward to the next few years at the terminal in Wilhelmshaven.

Edited by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/09052016/forty-years-of-handling-coal-2016-733/