• 2016 July 28

    New Route to Market for European Grain

    Following the success of new bulk loading systems in South America and Australia several companies in Europe are looking at alternatives to get their grain to market. For too long to high capital silos and bulk loaders provided the only way to export now there is an alternative.

    Following the lead of many others like Argentina, Africa & Australia companies in Romania are looking into a new system of bulk loading called Containerized Bulk Handling (CBH). This article shows through a case study how farmers, traders and logistics companies can use this new system to get their grain to market.

    Illustration of the CBH 4 stage process:

    Black Sea Ports and Shipping

    The recent Black Sea Ports conference in Constanta hosted ports and terminals for the region and a great deal of the discussion was how ports and logistics systems could serve the growing harvest in a region that is fast becoming a food bowl for Europe and the Mid East.

    Conference Convenor - Rory Doyle 5th Black Sea Ports & Shipping 2016, Constanta, Romania: “a key theme at the conference was the growing trend in agricultural exports, and that investing in capacity is critical. The region needs flexible solutions to ensure growth in harvest has an export route the CBH system gain a lot of traction with delegates”  

    Replicating a proven system

    In Argentina they have developed a new flexible way to export grain. The grain is loaded, transported and stored in specially designed food grade containers.  Once delivered to the marine terminal, the containerized grain is stored at the port awaiting the vessel; replacing the need for expensive silos.

    Once the vessel arrives, the containers of grain are handled like normal containers until they are tipped into the hatch of the ship using a Revolver.

    The Old Way

    Traditional export of grain uses dump trucks, special bulk rail wagons, silo and then dedicated bulk loaders. The problem with these conventional systems is the high cost and inflexible fixed structure at the port preventing other activities. Further problems in the logistics process are   material losses at transfer points, cleanup costs and in some cases contamination of the grain by unwanted rodents.

    Typical Silo set up at the facility Bulk Conveyor system at a port

    The innovative management at the Argentinean terminal didn’t have silos or bulk loaders and had a host of customers banging on their door after a bumper harvest looking for help to export their grain. They wanted a simple operation with minimal investment by using much of their current equipment and infrastructure.  Large capital expenditure and setup time for new warehousing and equipment was not a viable option. While researching a number of “best possible solutions”, the team discovered a system called “Containerized Bulk Handling”.

    Containerized Bulk Handling (CBH) is a complete system that includes the containerization of bulk products such as grain at the inland depots or farms, before moving it directly to the port’s yard. The loading process is completed by using a specialized rotating spreader called a revolver manufactured by RAM Spreaders, and the purpose built containers manufactured specifically for handling food grade products.

    The Revolution- How the new system works

    standard port equipment loading container
    Sealed container stored at port

    The CBH system is simple and involves loading the agri-bulk at the farm or storage location into specialized 20’ high cube containers with a payload capacity of 27 tons. The containers are sealed with lids to protect the product from rain or contamination and eliminate potential dust and spillage.

    “The container becomes the storage and transport system removing the need for Silos”

    Trucks loaded with sealed containers containing grain head to the Port MHC crane lifting RAM Revolver with container

    The sealed containers are then transported to the terminal’s yard and stored ready for loading. The containers replace the need for expensive silos.

    Once the vessel is alongside, the containers are handled as they would be in a conventional container operation, delivered to the quay side by truck. 

    Loading is performed with the Ship’s on-board Cranes or Mobile Harbour Cranes, fitted with a Revolver. The Revolver locks onto the container lowering it into the hatch of the vessel. The lid is lifted off automatically and the material is tipped into the hatch during the 360 degree rotation.

    Environmentally Friendly and Fast

    Revolver unloads the grain by gently rotating the container

    As the grain is sealed in the container at the farm and only opened at the bottom of the vessels hatch, there is no material loss or contamination. The revolver process differs from normal bulk loading in that it is very gentle and adds very little energy to the material. The revolver lowers the container almost to the bottom of the hatch and tips it gently. The result is a reduction in dust.  With less dust in the air, workers can then breathe a lot easier.


    With the Containerized Bulk Handling process loading rates can be as high as 25 cycles per hour with 25 tons of grain in a box making the CBH process a faster system. With two cranes, up to 1,000 tons can be loaded per hour.  The RAM development team is now working on a system to load at twice this rate.

    “With two cranes they load at 1,000 tons per hour”

    The Container as a Silo and Transport


    The most innovative aspect of the new system was the use of the container as a silo and a method of transport. Traditionally grain exporters needed expensive silos costing over 20 million dollars, which prevented a number of ports from exporting grain. With the containers acting as both storage and transport, the containers are sealed directly after filling.  

    The only way to access the grain or commodity is via the special food grade sampling port fitted within the container.  To overcome the high capital set-up costs the containers are leased, reducing the capital that would otherwise be tied up in a silo which would remain empty for long periods throughout the year.

    Growing Business Flexibly

    To acquire and set-up, a traditional bulk grain operation can take years.  In contrast, a containerized bulk operation can take no more than 6 months, allowing a much faster and efficient way to get bulk commodities into the market. Putting in conveyors and bulk storage makes the system dedicated, however this is not the case in Argentina as they can load conventional containers on Monday, grain on Tuesday with the revolver, and back to containers on Wednesday with no clean up required.

    The CBH system provides opportunities for general & container ports as well as logistics companies to provide an alternative to existing suppliers. Principle at Gray Bulk Concepts Daryl Gray says “No longer is the bulk terminal the only location for export. CBH gives others the opportunities to get into the game for much lower cost”

    An additional benefit of the Containerized Bulk Handling system is mobility. The CBH system, which includes the RAM Revolver® and containers, can be moved to another terminal if required. The investment is transferrable.

    A New Route to Market

    The use of container terminals or general purpose terminals gives grain exporters and traders another route to market. Often during peak harvest time, the bulk loaders get congested and their customers cannot export the product when and how they want. By using the flexible CBH system it is now possible to get the grain to market. What started as a small change in Argentina is set to grow into a revolution in grain loading globally, with a new flexible low capital solution to export agri-bulk.

    This containerized bulk handling system is already in full operation in South America, Australia, Middle East and Africa mining industry for products such as copper, coal and iron concentrates where throughputs of over 1,000 tons per hour, per crane are achieved. The RAM Revolver® can be designed to operate with any type of port equipment such as reach stackers, ship to shore cranes, mobile cranes and ship’s gear cranes.
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    Company background

    RAM Spreaders has been manufacturing spreaders since 1972. Now as part of the PEINER SMAG Group, the company is the world’s leading lifting accessories supplier and a global market leader in both bulk and container handling industries.

    RAM Spreaders’ corporate head quarters with design and development facilities are in Singapore, with a manufacturing plant in China and servicing facilities in Lancashire, England and Salzgitter, Germany.

    Recent developments include the new SingFlex TwinForty Headblock for single hoist ship-to-shore cranes.  All-electric separating twinlift telescopic spreader and a telescopic spreader designed for mobile harbour cranes. These new innovative products join the existing RAM range of telescopic, fixed and separating twinlift spreaders, offering the finest choice for Ship-to-Shore Cranes, RTGs/RMGs, Mobile Harbour Cranes and Mobile Equipment.