News

Built in Germany, 3 new high-performance loading gantry cranes have been received by Senalia at its Grand-Couronne terminal, which confirms its status as the 1st grain terminal of the Grand Port maritime of Rouen.

Built in 1971, the Grand-Couronne grain terminal has processed more than 70 Mt of grain since its creation. But taking advantage of the deepening program of the channel of the Seine which is coming to an end, the Senalia cooperative group, main loader of the port, and the Grand Port maritime of Rouen (GPMR) wanted to consolidate it in its ranking of the most powerful terminal of the sector.

The GPMR first invested € 9 million in strengthening the docking front and docks, building a structure to accommodate new tools and deepening the soil. The new berth will accommodate bulk carriers up to 260 m long and 46 m wide, with drafts up to 12 m. "This will load Panamax or Overpanamax up to 60,000 t and avoid the second loading sites," said Manuel Gaborieau, trade commissioner for the grain and agro-industries Haropa-Port of Rouen.

For the Senalia cooperative group, the addition for the modernization of the Grand-Couronne site amounted to approximately € 11.5 million. With safety work, the replacement of automated systems and conveyor systems of grain from the chains to the conveyor belts, the installation of dust collection systems and especially the construction of the 3 new new generation gantries.

Built by the German company Neuero, one of the world's leading specialists, they were transported from Rostock to Rouen aboard the Palmerton, a heavy-lift unit of the Dutch company Combi-Lift. With a unit weight of 250 t, they were unloaded and mounted on rail using two Liebherr cranes with a unit capacity of 250 t. The very complex operation was scheduled for December 17, 2018, over two or three days.

"They are capable of loading 1,000 t / h each, like their predecessors. But they offer the advantage of rail travel over a length of 340 m and are equipped with an anti-dust system called "by accumulation" "says Matthieu Calais, technical director at Senalia.