Siwertell ship unloaders - Taiwan

Siwertell ship unloaders deliver crucial salt handling capabilities

Bruks Siwertell’s biggest repeat Siwertell screw-type ship unloader customer, Formosa Plastics Corporation (FPC), operates a demanding dry bulk schedule, including high-volume salt imports; when it needed to boost this capacity at Kaohsiung Port in Taiwan, it turned again to Siwertell technology.

Customer need 

Salt is highly corrosive, which tends to result in additional wear-and-tear to dry bulk material handling, transportation and storage systems, as well as shorter maintenance intervals for equipment.

Furthermore, when salt arrives in bulk carrier holds, it has often compacted into crystalline lumps, which makes the unloading process much more demanding on equipment, further increasing wear.

In addition, FPC’s requirements stipulated that the ship unloading system must be highly efficient and enclosed, ensuring environmental protection through minimal dust emissions and spillage-free operations. It should also be designed to withstand high winds and a degree of seismic activity.

Our solution

At the end of 2020, FPC became Bruks Siwertell’s biggest repeat Siwertell screw-type ship unloader customer ever, when it placed an order for two more ST 640 D-type unloaders. The pair were fully assembled in 2023, after navigating the pandemic hurdles, and brought into operation in 2024, taking FPC’s Siwertell ship unloader portfolio to thirteen.

FPC has considerable experience using Siwertell unloaders, which was an important factor in the contract, as well as the high efficiency and low operational costs offered by Siwertell technology.

For the new terminal at Kaohsiung Port’s jetty number 16, FPC opted for rail-mounted units, which deliver a continuous rated salt handling capacity of 1,000t/h, discharging vessels up to 80,000 dwt. They are fitted with an optimized inlet feeder, specifically developed for unloading salt and for handling compacted materials at a high discharge rate. 

The unloaders can operate in winds of up to 25m/s and are designed to withstand maximum wind speeds of 70m/s and a horizontal earthquake factor of 0.3g. The units are also equipped with an FM 200 fire-fighting system in their electrical and transformer housings, which is a local requirement, along with protecting the environment from fugitive dust emissions.

FPC’s operations are a testament to the trust that customers place in Siwertell screw-type ship unloading technology and the benefit of Bruks Siwertell’s commitment to long-term customer support.