EMO is the largest transshipment terminal for coal and iron ore in Europe and occupies a top position in the dry bulk market. Modern and multifunctional, the EMO terminal is strategically located at the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam.
EMO operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It handles large bulk shipments; its discharge capacity is 42mt (million tonnes) and its throughput capacity is 60mt. EMO approaches all of its work and planning with the greatest care. It ensures that its terminal is state-of-the-art, and is continually improving its facilities so that its customers are served in the best possible way. EMO’s highly skilled trained personnel work closely together. Skilled employees working with innovative technology guarantee customers the quality, efficiency and sustainability they seek.
 
MEETING MARKET DEMANDS
EMO provides handling facilities that the world’s largest bulk carriers require. Its terminal is a major hub in transporting coal and iron ore from all over the world to the large European hinterland. EMO’s 160-hectare area can currently hold 7mt of storage. The terminal is ideally located on a 23m-deep waterway connected directly to the North Sea. Rotterdam harbour has excellent rail and waterway connections to the rest of Europe.
EMO prides itself on being a reliable and trustworthy partner. It remains on top of the latest developments in the market, and continually analyses its customers’ needs, the quality of its services and its terminal’s performance. In anticipation of market trends and customer needs, it is always geared towards offering a more efficient, cleaner and safer terminal, one designed to meet the highest of expectations.
As a major player in the European market, EMO does everything to keep its terminal in tip-top condition so that it can serve its customers well. The EMO terminal was commissioned in 1973 and, ever since, it has continually adapted its services to meet new market demands. The result: tip-top products and services that match customers’ needs. Recent projects and projects under construction are:
 
Second coal wagon loader with access to European rail network
EMO’s second fully automated coal wagon loader, which started operating in July 2011, means that altogether it can load 16 coal trains a day. The extensive preparations for this enormous project began in 2010 and construction took place in November 2010. The infrastructure had to be adapted as
well since EMO required new transport conveyor belts and railtrack. A dedicated rail cargo line — the Betuwelijn — connects EMO directly to the European rail network offering fast, clean and cost-efficient access to the hinterland. Both coal and iron ore reach inland Europe by rail.
 
Fifth unloader
The new 85-tonne fifth unloader increases overall loading capacity. An additional unloader means more capacity and more reliability and flexibility. Manufactured in Europe, the unloader will be operational in the third quarter of 2012 .The five unloaders situated on EMO’s deep sea quay running
along its waterway (23m deep) have an average unloading capacity of up to 200,000 tonnes a day. Throughout the year, the five unloaders are constantly unloading Capesize ships (bulk carriers). The whole terminal is connected by an internal conveyor belt system.
 
Seventh stacker reclaimer
Preparations for building the seventh stacker reclaimer started in 2010. This stacker reclaimer is, amongst its other duties, responsible for supplying the coal and biomass-fired GDF Suez Energy power plant. As the stacker reclaimer becomes operational as from this summer, EMO will have seven separate
cargo flows served by automated stacker- reclaimers.
 
New loading berth for sea-going vessels
The Amazone harbour is being widened for the latest-generation vessels of the adjacent ECT terminal. The area where the current sea-going vessel loader is located will be widened and EMO has built a new loader along the Mississippi harbour, east of the unloaders. This sea-going vessel loader in the Mississippi harbour loads coal and iron ore fast and efficiently. This ship loader has a capacity of 5,000 tonnes an hour.
The Rotterdam Port Authority built a new quay, equipped with the most sustainable technology and creating an innovative solution by integrating the berthing structure with the fender structure. A characteristic of the new structure is that it uses a thin layer of high- performance concrete to line the outside of the quay, instead of a traditional fender structure.
 
Integrated terminal with conveyor belt system and operations centre
All coal and iron ore is transported by EMO’s conveyor belt system. This 47km system connects all discharge, storage and loading equipment within the EMO terminal into one flexible machine. The conveyor belt system is together with the complete terminal and its machinery supervised by EMO’s new operations centre. The new operations centre is ready for tomorrow’s challenges. To meet present and future developments, it is important that the supervisory role of the operations centre, the nerve centre of the terminal, can grow. When EMO was modernizing the operations centre, it took both existing processes and anticipated future developments into consideration. The smooth transition to the modernized operations centre took place in October 2011. While the new operations centre was being built, the old one remained fully operational and processes continued to work properly. Once the new facility was set up and tested, it replaced the old operations centre.
 
Hartel strip
By relocating to the Hartel strip, EMO will go on being able to grow and offer a highly efficient service. This deep sea location can be used for specific needs of customers. Biomass used in firing power plants, such as wood pellets, also requires extra space. The new terminal along the Hartel strip will compensate for land lost due to the widening of the Amazone harbour and for land lost to Electrabel’s new plant. This strip lies across the existing EMO terminal and was created by filling in part of the Hartel canal.