Cereals Terminal in the Aveiro Port

This turnkey project, located next to the main navigation channel of the Port of Aveiro, is set on a plot of land with a total area of 20,250 m2.

The Cereals Terminal in the Aveiro Port includes 16 metal silos of various diameters and a whole range of equipment (conveyors, hoppers, cranes, electrical installations) to store materials that arrive by sea and are then distributed by land vehicles.

One of the complexities of the work was that the site of the silos is made up of an alluvial complex of fine to medium micaceous sands and muddy sands overlying very stiff silty clays, with limestone intercalations. Because of this, earthworks, preparatory work and foundations were carried out.

The base structure of the silos rests on foundation slabs / rock mass which, in turn, are supported by foundation piles with Ø800mm and Ø1000mm and unit lengths of 27m. During execution, it was necessary to use a stabilising fluid (bentonite slurry) to support the pile walls during the drilling process.

There are a total of 16 metal silos on the site, the largest diameter being 18.2 metres (6 units), there are also 6 metal silos with a diameter of 14.6 metres, the rest with 12.7 metres (4 units). There is also a 5.5 metre silo (unloading for wagons) and two 4.6 metre diameter silos (unloading for lorries). In terms of height, the main bodies of the silos are around 30 metres high. All the silos include accessories, sweepers and technical gutters for aeration and temperature control, with a special emphasis on the environmental aspect.

Relevant features of the work: 

- Ship unloading and port reception; 

- Extraction and feeding of bulk dispatch cells; 

- Road and rail reception; 

- Peripherals; 

- Automation; 

- Vehicle logistics system. 

Ship unloading and port reception 

Unloading is carried out using an upstream crane, whose bucket joins a mobile hopper. From here, the cereals are sent to the pre-cleaning and weighing section and then distributed to the different cells. In terms of safety control, all cells are equipped with the maximum level, as is their thermometry system. 

Extraction and feeding of bulk dispatch cells 

This operation is carried out at a flow rate of 500 tonnes per hour and can be carried out simultaneously with the ship unloading operation. The bulk loading points correspond to the locations next to the maritime quay (at the exit of the mobile hopper), road loading and a rail loading point, located on the existing branch line, which, when there are no wagons, can also serve as a road loading point. 

Road and rail reception 

This action is carried out using two road reception hoppers, so that 2 lorries can be unloaded simultaneously. The road loading operations were automated by installing two weighbridges under the loading points of the silos and two bulk loading points to enable the vehicles to move autonomously. Finally, an automatic station was installed to validate the loading operation at the exit of the vehicles and to print the accompanying documents. 

The railway loading area was equipped with two railway weighbridges and two bulk loading stations capable of printing supporting documents for loading operations. 

Peripherals 

A compressed air generator set has been installed with compressors and the corresponding distribution system for the various applications. There is also a transformer substation and a lighting and socket installation network. 

Automation 

The installation is prepared to operate fully automatically and remotely from the control tower. In addition, from the system set up, the unit is managed in an integrated way, with real-time information, not only on what is stored, but also on what has been moved since it was put into service. 

Vehicle logistics system 

This system is very innovative and introduces a new philosophy to the logistics of moving lorries for loading and unloading in an industrial unit, including: 

- Operation of an industrial unit on a complete self-service basis; 

- 24-hour dispatch and reception periods with no increase in operating costs; 

- Reduction of personnel costs; 

- Full access control with guaranteed rejection of unauthorised transactions; 

- Complete monitoring and traceability of each weighing transaction; 

- Automation and increased reliability in information management; 

- Increased quality of service provided; 

- Improvement of the image projected by the industrial unit. 

The solution was designed to provide a critical and highly available system, with high communication performance and a scalable and technologically advanced structure, made up of weighing transaction control and management software and physical equipment that conducts dialogue with the operator by validating their identification, controlling scheduled operations and indicating the progress of their process until its completion.

The equipment that makes up the vehicle logistics system is developed using the most robust automation technologies for the industrial sector, allowing continuous operation without operator intervention and with reduced maintenance costs.