CRS’s Coaltainer: designed to cope with the rigours of coal handling

In 2009, Container Rotation Systems (CRS) introduced Australia’s first 360° container rotator, trademarked Rotainer®, which was commissioned for D.P. World, Port Adelaide, Australia.

 

Initially, its primary role was loading parcels of approximately 70,000 tonnes of DSO iron ore for IMX Resources. Automated lid lifting following not long after, for copper concentrate applications.

 

Since then, CRS has continued to enhanced its systems and has built a client base which sees its products successfully operating in ten countries around the world, from the extreme temperatures of Central Africa to the arduous conditions of Northern Canada.

 

CRS is a one-stop solution for rotational, containerized bulk handling equipment.

 

The year 2020 will showcase the launch of the Rotainer® 2020 programme, which encompasses several new products. These include the Rotainer® Eurospec MH range, Ezzelid™, Tiltainer®, and the Skiptainer® Load and Dump.

 

The Rotainer® MH container Rotainers are purpose designed for large materials handlers, mobile harbour cranes and ships’ cranes. Furthermore, CRS is adding to its container range the Ezzelid™ self-opening lid system, a new concept for cost effective, simplified lid opening together with its Skiptainer® Load and Dump system which allows for loading in the ship’s hold as well as discharge.

 

CRS has developed a special, 2900mm heavy duty container system for coal and other light materials such as woodchip and grains, for when higher-than-normal volumes need to be transported and loaded.

 

This system is well suited for applications where the product is moved from a shore-based stockpile to the shiploading facility via an internal road network. This innovative and patented container design is best suited to the newly developed Rotainer Eurospec 38 with rotating head frame which allows for larger lifting capacities whilst keeping the simple design criteria.

 

 

 

The Rotainer Eurospec 38, released in 2018, is designed for containers from 1,450mm to 2,900mm in height with or without optional lid lifting.

 

With a tare weight of 9,500kg and a gross lifting capacity of 38,000kg, it gives maximum advantage to reachstackers and ships’ gear cranes.

 

Being self powered via diesel/hydraulic or electric/hydraulic makes this a simple, low-maintenance drive system with no need for a complex interface with the main machine.

 

The Rotainer Eurospec 38 is designed to suit reachstackers, ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, mobile harbour cranes, large material handlers or bridge cranes.

 

To optimize STS crane operations, CRS has developed as an option a specialized, high capacity rotating head frame that allows 360° rotation in the horizonal plane.

Simply put, N-S-E-W discharging position means more efficient shiploading and trimming.

 

 

CRS has been very busy recently. Among its most notable contracts include the commissioning, ten months ago, of two units for Ust-Luga Port in Russia. They are connected to a high capacity Kone STS crane. CRS designed and manufactured a special 360° rotating head frame to better trimming with less long travel of the crane. The contract was so successful that a further two units have been ordered to run on the four cranes.

 

In terms of capacity, they offer an average of 35 cycles per hour; using two cranes, they can operate at 2,200tph (tonnes per hour), with the potential of 4,400tph if all four cranes are operating.

 

 

 

Each unit has completed 16,300 cycles in ten months — they were set up to operate at a rate of approximately 20,000 cycles per year.

 

The units run perfectly in temperatures ranging from–10° to + 35°. The system is managed on site by Severmek from St Petersburg.

 

A special high duty cycle Rotorcon 2,900mm container was designed especially for this project. A third unit was commissioned and loaded on ship in January this year, and the four unit is in the water and is expected land in Ust Luga this month.