New ship unloader at the Port of Rotterdam will ensure more efficient raw material supply
thyssenkrupp Steel Europe is investing millions in a modern ship unloader that sets new standards in efficiency and environmental friendliness. This investment will secure a handling capacity of 24 million metric tonnes of raw materials for future green steelmaking in Duisburg.
The investment involves replacing an old ship unloader with a state-of-the-art one at Ertsoverslagbedrijf Europoort C.V. at the Port of Rotterdam. This investment strengthens the future of EECV and thyssenkrupp Veerhaven and emphasises thyssenkrupp Steel’s commitment to a modern infrastructure in the Port of Rotterdam and sustainable supplies to thyssenkrupp Steel and Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) in Duisburg. The new ship unloader is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
The project sends a strong signal for the future of EECV and thyssenkrupp Veerhaven, the two Dutch logistics subsidiaries of thyssenkrupp Steel. Together, these companies will ensure the unloading of seagoing vessels and the interim storage and transport of around 24 million metric tonnes of iron ore and coal for steelmaking in Duisburg throughout the year.
This investment also secures raw material supplies for the future installation for direct reduction of iron ore by means of hydrogen. With the new ship unloader and the proven push boat fleet, EECV and thyssenkrupp Veerhaven will continue to ensure a reliable connection between the Port of Rotterdam and the green steelworks in Duisburg for the coming decades.
The new ship unloader, weighing around 2,000 metric tonnes, will be able to unload the largest bulk freighters in the world at a highly productive rate of up to 2,600 metric tonnes of iron ore per hour. It will also set new standards in environmental friendliness and energy efficiency, equipped with a water spraying and misting system in the bunker area to reduce dust emissions, and keeping noise emissions below approved limits. The new ship unloader will significantly improve occupational safety and comfort for employees.
This investment in the new ship unloader demonstrates thyssenkrupp Steel’s commitment to the modernisation and continuity of its infrastructure at the Port of Rotterdam. It complements their exploration of developing hydrogen supply chains with the Port of Rotterdam as part of their green transformation.
EECV and thyssenkrupp Veerhaven have been ensuring uninterrupted raw material supplies since 1970, operating one of Europe’s largest and most modern bulk handling facilities in the Europoort area of the Port of Rotterdam. The four ship unloaders at the terminal facility remove 30 to 40 metric tonnes of iron ore and coal from ships with each lift. The raw materials are then transported to storage areas via conveyor belts, and thyssenkrupp Veerhaven operates a fleet of 7 vessels to transport the raw materials for steel production from Rotterdam to Duisburg.
For more information visit www.thyssenkrupp-steel.com/en/
29th September 2023