Tampa Tank Inc- Florida Structural Steel (TTI-FSS) expects to ship key components for the world’s largest coal ship loader up the Mississippi River to a coal shipping facility in southern Louisiana in mid-October. Coal stored at the site will be transferred via conveyors to the ship loaders, which can sequentially or simultaneously load the material on to ships ranging in size from 50,000 t (deadweight – DWT) to 180,000 DWT. The system is designed to operate 24/7 at a maximum rate of 6,000 t/h.
The loading system consists of three radial-tower type loading booms with two connecting conveyors. The three shuttles and three upper towers were fabricated at the three TTI-FSS shops in Tampa. Each tower weighs 425.5 t and the approximate weight of the structure is 2,300 t.
The ship loaders are designed to operate at a maximum rate of 6,000 t/h, which can be achieved by operating one loader or a combination of the three loaders, each of which is designed to handle 6,000 t/h. The three-tower design, coupled with diversion gates, provides the operator with very efficient and highly versatile ship-loading capabilities.
The main sections (three columns, three cradles with a shuttle installed in each, two link conveyors, and three upper towers), including electrical and mechanical components, will be assembled at the TTI-FSS shipping berth adjacent to the Port facility. The system then will be shipped by barge to the southern Louisiana site for final assembly.
The picture shows a 3D model of the final assembly of the coal ship loader. TTI-FSS fabricated the cradle and shuttle sections and the link conveyors
Tampa Tank was founded in 1953 and acquired Florida Structural Steel in 1984 and combined are now globally recognised specialists in steel fabrication and erection. The company provides complete design, shop fabrication, shipment, field erection, inspection and testing of welded steel products for mining and other industries. The company operates across North America, Central and South America, West Africa and the Middle East.