SOUTHAMPTON GRAIN TERMINAL UPGRADE REAPING THE BENEFITS

FRONTIER INVESTMENT IN UK HUB ENSURES SOUTH OF ENGLAND FARMERS FUTURE ACCESS TO THE GLOBAL EXPORT MARKET

Following the acquisition of SGT by Frontier from Soufflet in 2021, the new owners moved quickly to invest in the future of the Eastern Docks Grain Terminal with a planned upgrade & modernisation of the facilities grain storage infrastructure & quayside rail mounted ship loader.

Acting as a southern UK hub, the Terminal, which is a major exporter of grains onto the world markets, can be found at deep water berth 36 within the ABP owned Port of Southampton.

It was originally built in the early 1980’s across two separate phases of civil engineering construction, by French & English contractors respectively with the second phase also including a 1000tph ship loading system.

Both concrete silo blocks incorporate a nest of hopper bottom silos constructed with the use of slip form civil engineering technology in achieving the resulting 30,000tonnes of total storage capacity.

In 1983 when fully complete & operational the Grain Terminal was officially opened by H.R.H Princess Anne who acting as President of Save the Children Fund, her welcomed presence highlighted the part played at the Port of Southampton in the export of grain to developing countries across the globe.

Modernisation

T H WHITE Projects were awarded the contract to act as the Principal Contractor covering the scope of works associated with the design, supply, installation & commissioning of the mechanical & electrical equipment involved in the upgrade of the Frontier Southampton Grain Terminal.

Following a thorough inspection, assessment & review of the facility, which was now some 40 years old, a scoping document & schedule of work was generated to address the necessary areas of repair, replacement & modernisation to upgrade the terminal in compliance with the latest engineering & operational design standards.

Handling Equipment Overview:

Phase 1

2 x 250tph road intake & elevating to silo top distribution
2 x 500tph silo reclaim
1 x 1000tph silo elevating
1 x 1000tph weigh bulk scale

Phase 2

2 x 300tph road intake & elevating to silo top distribution
2 x 300tph silo reclaim
1 x 600tph silo block conveying & transfer route
1 x Quayside shuttle belt conveyor
1 x 1000tph travelling ship loader & trimmer

Silo Block 1 & 2.

Silo 1: Replacement of the over silo open belt conveyors & tripper distribution carriage with two new totally enclosed ATEX rated 800mm wide chain conveyors, electro pneumatic slides, connecting inlet/outlet chutes & machinery support/access platform.
Silo 1: Elevator outlet 6 x way multi distribution valve replaced
Silo 1: Replacement of the two under silo reclaim open belt conveyors with two further heavy duty totally enclosed ATEX rated 800mm wide chain conveyors with inlet flow control boxes to regulate the flow & allow blending when required.
Silo 1: Main control room – The old relay logic push button control panel & mimic was replaced with a modern-day PLC & SCADA control system with large viewing monitors configured with all the routes & operating phases.
Silo 1& 2: The system is also integrated into a new dust collection & briquetting arrangement whereby the dust & screenings are transferred from around the silo block intake & storage facility into a collecting filter before being discharged via a rotary valve into a briquette producing machine. One system per silo block installed & operational.
Silo 2: Basement building room created to house a bank of new MCC’s allied to that half of the facility
Silo 2: All new containment & cabling to drives & field devices with ATEX rated switches & sensors fitted where applicable.

Ship Loader: History

The ship loader has an interesting background & is worthy of adding into this document as a testimony to all parties involved throughout the years.

Started life in 1946 as a Stothert & Pitt crane
Originally used for the lifting of fruit crates from vessels within the Port.
Modified by Redler in the early 1980’s as one of several which were procured & changed from ordinary quayside operating cranes into being 1000tph rail mounted travelling ship loaders.
A large high-capacity belt & bucket elevator was fitted to the lower part of the crane whilst the top section was removed with the jib being replaced with a new counter weighted boom f/w a chain conveyor, telescopic feed chute & ship thrower/trimmer.
In the South of the UK there was one to be found at the Cardiff Grain Terminal & two in Southampton.
The two on the Solent found one installed at SGT and the other across the dock at the Continental Grain Export Terminal which was a steel silo grain storage facility.
Both the Cardiff & Continental sites have long been demolished.
The ship loader at Fronter’s SGT site is the last one remaining in operation on the deep-water berth.