Seeking safety and economy for its operations, Braskem installed two 16" x 60' marine loading arms (MLA) from FMC Technologies at Braskem's raw materials terminal (formerly Copene), at the Port of Aratu , Salvador, Bahia.
Five ships dock each month at Braskem's terminal, each with an average capacity of 40 thousand tons of products, including naphtha, condensate or gasoline. Each arm unloads products from ships at a flow rate of up to 3,600 m³ per hour, reaching an average time of 30 hours for each unloading maneuver. A ship's per day at the port costs around US$ 15 thousand per day, reaching an average expense of 18 thousand per load/unload. If the same process were carried out by hoses, which operate at a flow of 200 m³ per hour, it would take 12 and a half days to complete, with an expense of almost US$ 180 thousand for execution.
FMC's arms are equipped with swivel joints that allow them to follow the ship's movement, which can be horizontal, vertical or away from the pier. If the ship's movement goes beyond the mobility of the arms, a safety mechanism triggers an alarm and, automatically, the cargo passage is interrupted. If ship clearance persists, the system disconnects the manifold arms on the ship.
"The loading arms have surprised us in terms of functioning, the loading and unloading process is much superior to the operation using hoses. The arms have a hydraulic system, which greatly facilitates the operators' work and are always praised for technology and the security they provide to our work," says Braskem terminal operator Luiz Carlos Santos.