Bulk carriers (bulkers) carry dry bulk cargoes: i.e. cargoes that can be handled by conveyor systems, chutes, grabs, or skips, e.g. minerals, grain, fertiliser, bulk sugar.
Some bulkers carry neo-bulk cargoes: i.e. cargoes that are made up of a large number of individual pieces, but that can fill holds. e.g. pig iron, bagged cargoes, steel, aluminium ingots, timber, rolls of newsprint, blocks of granite, and many other cargoes like this.
Some are gearless (they have no cranes).
Some are geared (they have cranes).
Some are larger and/or specially designed to carry large volumes of coal or iron ore.
Some are smaller to allow them to enter smaller, shallower ports, and/or to carry smaller parcels of cargo.
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What is a bulk carrier (or bulker)?
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Bulk carriers carry dry bulk cargoes: i.e. Cargoes that can be handled by conveyor systems, chutes, grabs, or skips, e.g. minerals, grain, fertiliser, sugar.
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Bulker general arrangement • Some are gearless (no cranes). • Some are geared (with cranes) • Some are larger and/or specially designed to carry large volumes of coal or iron ore. • Some are smaller to allow them to enter smaller, shallower ports, and/or to carry smaller parcels of cargo
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Typical bulker. Photo: Grindrod
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Some bulkers carry neo-bulk cargoes: i.e. Cargoes that are made up of a large number of individual pieces, but that can fill holds. e.g. pig iron, bagged cargoes, steel, aluminium ingots, timber, newsprint.
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Dry bulk cargo handling - some definitions:• Terminal: the place where ships come to load or discharge a cargo • Stockpile: place in the terminal where the cargo is kept prior to loading • Reclaimer: a machine that scoops up the cargo and puts it onto the conveyor system. • Conveyor belt: a mechanical belt that carries the mineral from one place to another. • Ship loader: the machine that loads the ships at the terminal.
What is a bulk carrier: Slide 7 of 23
Saldanha Bay – major bulk port
- A: Loading berth
- B: Conveyor belt
- C: Ore stockpile
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Iron ore jetty – Saldana Bay: Reclaimer (A) scoops up the iron ore (B) and tips it onto a conveyer belt (C) that carries it to the berth where it will be loaded into the ship via a ship loader
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Iron ore jetty – Saldana Bay:
- A: Ship loader operating
- B: Conveyor belts carrying ore from stockpile to the shiploader
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Capesize bulker loading iron ore:
- A: Conveyor belt carrying ore from stockpile.
- B: Hatch covers open.
- C: Ship loader operating.
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Discharging bulk sulphur using grabs: The grabs (A) empty the cargo into the hopper (B). From the hopper, the cargo is released to pour into the railway trucks (C) below. Photo: Grindrod
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Discharging bulk steel pellets, using grabs: B: Hopper
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Loading rutile by skip (A).
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Coal terminal – Maputo. Photo: Grindrod.
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Woodchip berth – Vancouver, Canada.
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Shoreside bulk handling facility – Vancouver, Canada.
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Discharging soda ash, using grabs.
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Coal loading terminal – Vancouver, Canada.
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Neo-bulk cargo: rolled steel awaiting shipment
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Neo-bulk cargo: Note cargo (A) being unloaded.
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Cross-section through an ore carrier hold:
- A: Main deck
- B: Hatch cover
- C: Hatch coaming
- D: Hold
- E: Topside tank (for ballast, fresh water or fuel).
- F: Lower ballast tank
- G: Double-bottom tank (for ballast or fresh water).
- H: Depth
- I: Beam
- J: Freeboard
- K: Draught
- S: Starboard
- P: Port
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Working neo-bulk cargo – Maydon wharf, Durban.