We all just have to live with clean-up until the naval architects come up with a solution. Even with a solution the shipowners are not going to adopt the answer overnight, if ever. So don't worry about the situation. Everybody's in it all the time. Forget about the fancy self unloaders. No Greek Tycoon is going to splash out cash to duplicate unloading facilities & who can blame him.

Surely you move the unloader into a cream digging position while you clean up elsewhere. That's a start. ■

Dear weesiong ,

As already stated by Mr louispanjang, The cleaning up problem is something you have to live with.

However, this does not mean that you have no influence on the clean up efficiency.

The unloader type has a great influence on the overall (through the ship or tts) capacity.

A screw conveyor unloader reaches in an earlier stage the clean up phase than a grab unloader or a pneumatic unloader.

A grab unloader has a good clean up performance as long as it can reach the complete tanktop of the ship.

A pneumatic cement unloader has the advantage of extended reach.

The choice of clean up equipment is also important.

The capacity of the clean up equipment must be equal to the clean up performance of the unloader itself and suitable for the commodity.

The ship’s type is another factor.

Boxtype ships are in favor.

Hatch openings must be of the same size as the tanktop, requiring adequate trimming sides.

Frames in the holds should not be present.

Hoisting the unloader equipment in and out of the holds must be as simple as possible. Here a grab unloader has an advantage.

Develop a clean up strategy.

If possible, separate clean up and free digging in space and time.

While cleaning up, do not spoil material on clean surfaces.

All this becomes effective by a skilled and motivated crew of operators, who have a key role in the whole operation.

It is obvious, that you have to keep your equipment in tip top condition.

Also have a look at:

https://forum.bulk-online.com/showthread.php?t=8408

for a comparison of unloader types.

Have a nice day

Teus ■

Dear weesiong ,

Separating free digging and cleaning up is not necessarily between hatches, it can also be that one half of the hatch is being cleaned, while the other half is still free digging.

Operating a second clean up machine (mostly of lower capacity) is not a good idea, because it will cost a lot of extra time in the last hold and is costly in extra labor.

I witnessed experiments with an extra clean up machine fail.

Clean up should start when the free digging capacity falls below the clean up capacity.

In general, start the cleaning up as soon as practible (and safe), which means reach the tanktop as quick as possible and start cleaning from there, while there is still cargo in the hold that can be unloaded free digging.

Clean up and free digging are then executed simultaneously.

As you did not mention the commodity, you are unloading, it is difficult to be more specific.

Consulting other unloading companies and talking to the ship’s crew how they are unloaded in other ports can also be a source of information.

And don’t forget your own operators.

have a nice day

Teus ■