Description of the E-Crane
Seaboard operates grain processing and milling facilities throughout South America, the Carribean and Africa. For their MIDEMA (Minoterie de Matadi) flour mills operations in Matadi along the Congo River, they opted for a floating midstream ship unloading / transloading station for vessels up to Handymax size.
The E-Crane® team worked closely with the client during the development of the midstream transfer facility. Conceptual design studies were carried out in close cooperation with the customer to determine the optimum floating terminal concept with particular emphasis on the placement for maximum stability.
In all my years in engineering and purchasing equipment for jobs around the world, I have never encountered a supplier that was so determined and dedicated to find a practical solution. The Midema project was complex and difficult. The first suggestions offered by E-Crane® were possible but not practical due to lack of local infrastructure. The E-Crane® team continued to work on improving the concept until a commercially viable and practical solution was found and agreed on.