Despite continuing political tension in Yemen, port operations across the country are running normally. Over the last couple of days defections have gathered pace, when snipers opened fire on a pro-democracy camp in the capital, Sanaa, killing more than 50 people. As a result, several military Generals, Ministers, Diplomats, MPs and Government officials resigned and announced their support for the pro-democracy protestors.
Dust control at Saldanha Port's iron ore operations
The R70 million reverse osmosis (RO) plant will supplement potable water already being obtained from the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) of the Western Cape, where most water is pumped from surrounding dams. Around 36 million litres of water is required each month to spray iron ore stockpiles once a week and transfer points daily in the terminal using sprinkler cannon systems. This helps contain the dust which is inclined to blow excessively to areas outside the terminal.
Karl Socikwa, Chief Executive of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), said the new plant which is approaching the end of its construction would enable increased spraying for better dust mitigation at the terminal, which exported 45 million tons of iron ore in 2010/11. The RO process pumps water from beach wells and naturally pre-filters or desalinates it to remove salt and solids. This reduces the need for separate pre-filtration units. Fresh water is then pumped out to a buffer storage tank at high pressure through to the RO membranes.
The desalinated water is piped to the potable water tank where it can be used for dust control, while the concentrated sea water (brine) is released back into the ocean through beach wells or outfall pipes. There is no negative environmental impact in the operation and after filtration the water complies with drinking water standards. Velile Dube, Western Province Terminal Executive, said Transnet had researched other possibilities including getting recycled water from the municipality. But other options were unreliable, costly or limited in capacity. “RO plants provide a guaranteed source of quality potable water since they are not vulnerable in drought situations. The method is proven and reliable and there is access to good local expertise in South Africa,” he said.
The plant consists of two RO modules each with a capacity of 1.2 million/module/day. This will meet the 36million litres/month requirement and the existing water allocation from the municipality can then be used to spray more often. Another advantage of the RO method is the plant can be constructed in modular units allowing additional modules to be added at a later stage to meet growing water demand. The Saldanha plant is built and commissioned by water engineering company Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa (formerly VWS Envig), a French company that specialises in RO technology and has been responsible for successfully introducing it commercially across the globe, including South Africa.
Liquid Waste Technology installs remote controlled dredge
The radio remote operated dredge is all stainless steel construction for long life. LWT equipped the dredge with exclusive automation options to improve productivity and ease of use, such as Bottom Sense and Auto-Sense. Using Bottom Sense, dredge’s auger-head will automatically raise and lower to follow the bottom’s contour eliminating the risk of damage to the pond liner. The Auto Sense feature increases operator productivity by allowing the dredge to stop the dredge’s forward movement automatically and return to the point of origin to await the next command. The dredge was equipped with LWT’s Solids Sense feature, which adjusts the speed of the dredge to optimise a predetermined percentage of solids established by the operator. This feature assists the dredge operator to maintain maximum production of solids at a specified flow rate and minimises the labor required to operate the dredge. It is ideal for both de-watering and continuous process systems. LWT provides start-up field training to ensure continued quality performance and safety. During the commissioning, a series of test runs are initiated to fine-tune the dredge’s performance and to adjust the automated system to match the customer’s requirements.
Container volume remains strong for Georgia Ports
“Our ports are critical to Georgia’s continued economic recovery,” said Governor Nathan Deal. “Additional cargo creates jobs in many sectors including farming, manufacturing, transportation and logistics. Propelling the flow of cargo will spur a thriving business climate and new opportunities for Georgia and the entire Southeast.” Curtis Foltz, GPA’s Executive Director, reported to the Board of Directors Monday a total of 235,665 TEUs crossed Georgia’s docks in February alone. Fiscal-year-to-date volume is up 13.6% for container throughput compared with the same time period the previous fiscal year. “Heavy volumes have been driven by ongoing market recovery and continued inventory replenishment,” said Foltz. “Exports continue to outpace imports since the depth of the recession in 2009.”
“The continued growth experienced at the Port of Savannah further highlights the need for the successful completion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project,” said GPA Chairman of the Board Alec L Poitevint. “The world’s shipping lines and beneficial cargo owners have made the Port of Savannah the gateway to the Southeast because of our efficient operations, outstanding rail connectivity and ability to access 44 percent of the US population.”
Break-bulk tonnage continued to reflect a strong global industrial recovery reporting a 51.6% February increase handling 177,073 tonnes for the month. Fiscal-year-to-date break-bulk tonnage increased 50.3% compared with the previous fiscal year. The growth was driven by significant increases in export traffic through the GPA’s Ocean Terminal facility in wood pulp, machinery and automobiles. Autos and machinery units posted the second best month ever for Savannah and Brunswick. The majority of the GPA’s auto activity was at Colonel’s Island Terminal, which reported a 78.9% increase and moved 40,734 units. The high automobile volumes are reflective of market share gains by the primary brands the GPA handles, specifically Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Kia and Volkswagen.