Shatuo Wharf upgrades equipment to support chemical industry growth

By Chen Si.

With the rapid development of Yidu's chemical industry, Shatuo Wharf has become a key cargo transfer hub. To boost handling capacity and efficiency, the port operator has introduced advanced heavy machinery.

The latest addition includes two 20-ton floating cranes. Under the control of an operator, a crane extends its grab bucket into hold of a moored cargo ship, lifts a full load of sulfur, and transfers it onto a truck through a hopper.
 

The two 20-ton floating cranes working at the Shatuo Wharf of Yidu.
Photo by Fang Yonghua

"It only takes a few minutes to transfer 14 ton of cargo in one grab. A fully loaded 5,400-ton cargo ship can be unloaded in half a day, making operations highly efficient," said Cai Guangchun, chairman of Yidu Guotong Zhizhuang Port Service Co., Ltd.

The two 20-ton floating cranes, each with a 35-meter arm and operated by a single person, were put into use at the end of last year, with an investment of nearly 20 million yuan.

To meet the growing demand, Shatuo Wharf has continuously upgraded its equipment, increasing crane tonnage and boosting production efficiency.

Wan Qixiong, a 58-year-old stevedore who has worked at the wharf for 41 years, recalled how cargo was once unloaded manually. ”Dozens of workers used wooden carts to pull them down one by one, and each wooden cart had a load of about 500 kilograms. It took two or three days to unload 300 or 400 tons of cargo," he said.

Today, mechanization has transformed operations. "A cargo ship weighing tens of thousands of tons can easily be unloaded in less than a day," said Wan.

Yidu Guotong Zhizhuang Port Service Co., Ltd. currently has four 20-ton floating cranes, two 10-ton floating cranes, and two 8-ton floating cranes, with an annual transportation capacity of 6 million tons.

These floating cranes mainly provide loading and unloading services for chemical companies in Yidu Chemical Park and Songzi Port Industrial Park, with an annual output value of more than 50 million yuan (US$68.84 million).

In addition to improving efficiency, mechanized operations have also improved environmental protection along the Yangtze River.

Cargo ships transport coal, phosphate rock, and sulfur, materials prone to dust and spillage when handled manually. However, when unloading with a large floating crane, the closed grab bucket transfer significantly reduces pollution.

Additionally, a spraying system at the wharf entrance cleans transfer vehicles, minimizing dust and protecting the Yangtze River’s ecosystem.

Fang Yonghua and Gou Xiaomin contributed to this story.