Euroports is an ideal stevedoring partner for biomass in North Eastern Spain using the company’s current facilities at the Port of Tarragona. Euroports’ expertise covers receiving, stockpiling, monitoring, and loading biomass. Most of the cargo handled is woodchips exported for renewable energy generation.
Euroports’ know-how is based on years of experience, focusing on offering optimal storage at the port as well as efficient and fast shipments.
Euroports’ knowledge of the cargo and its sensitivities is essential to meet all the challenges of handling woodchips and to maintain the product. in a sound condition. It offers open-air stockpiles using large storage areas to accommodate high volumes with the highest quality standards. Euroports’ stacking method considers the density of the material, which requires more land than for other bulk commodities. It uses homogeneous storage piles, with limited height, avoiding compaction and ensuring good ventilation.
As an organic material, woodchips have the potential to self-heat. Euroports is extremely careful in preventing any risk of self-heating by constantly monitoring stockpiles’ temperature. It can quickly position high-capacity grab cranes to segregate any section of the stockpile upon any sign of excess heat. Additionally, Euroports’ premises incorporate mobile irrigation systems equipped with sprinklers and nebulizers to douse any smoldering material if necessary.
Loading onto ships is carried out by mobile cranes with large grabs operating at high speed. Euroports can accommodate vessels up to Panamax sizes. During this operation, small dozers are placed inside vessel holds to push the material to maximize the volume shipped and get an optimal cost efficiency.
Euroports services go beyond just port operations, where it delivers incomparable quality and security standards. Euroports is fully committed to developing a sustainable sea-based export market in Tarragona. It actively contributes to making this possible by offering its extensive market knowledge to all stakeholders looking for a logistic solution though Euroports; it often collaborates in promoting networking by linking local woodchip producers with global traders and major consumers to contribute to the realization of the immense potential of this region.
In fact, Euroports is seeing a very favourable momentum for expansion of the market. Energy companies are progressively driven by social and environmental awareness and need to meet new legal requirements to reduce their carbon footprint.
Euroports does not discount future investments as woodchips — and biomass in general — are very attractive industries as they fit within the company’s principles of sustainability and respect for the environment.
Euroports is today one of the largest port infrastructure companies in Europe, with more than 60 million tonnes handled per year in bulk, conventional, rolling, liquid and container products. The group operates 32 port terminals in Europe and China.