Stackers/reclaimers enjoy a new boom

摘要

Rising coal demand, and consequently prices, fuelled mainly by Chinese consumption, have given both coal export and import terminals confidence to increase capacity. The rise in stockyard capacity, and with it handling systems, is most pronounced in Australia and China, but even Europe is feeling the effects of increased coal demand with several new projects underway. Hansaport in Hamburg is increasing capacity and is due to take delivery of a 1700 tph stacker/reclaimer from ThyssenKrupp Foerdertechnik at the end of the year (see CoalTrans International March/April 2004, p28). This will be the fifth stacker/reclaimer to be delivered to the terminal by ThyssenKrupp and to ensure a short construction and delivery time, will be identical to the previous unit supplied. Meanwhile, Associated British Ports (ABP) has finally committed £44.5 mill to the second phase of its coal import facility at Immingham on the River Humber, possibly as its investment focus on a container terminal development in Southampton has been rejected on environmental grounds.