British Steel makes £30m port investment

A £30m investment in three new unloaders at Immingham Bulk Terminal is gearing up to play a vital role in the reliable and efficient flow of raw materials to British Steel’s manufacturing operations in Scunthorpe.

The world-class rail-mounted unloaders were built in Germany by Kocks Ardelt Kranbau and transported to the port facility on specialist heavy-lift vessels. The new unloaders benefit from latest technological advances so can handle large volumes of material much more efficiently, as well as having lower electrical demands compared to their predecessors.

This scheme is just one of a series of investments made by Jingye Group since it acquired British Steel in 2020, totalling around £330m. Other significant investments include: a £54m investment in a new billet caster at the company’s Scunthorpe site, a £26m Mast Service Centre for British Steel’s Special Profiles business in Skinningrove, and the £14.6m invested to enhance the company’s energy operations including improvements to recycling works-arising gases and electricity generation.

British Steel has made a £30m investment at Immingham Bulk Terminal to support the reliable and efficient flow of raw materials to British Steel’s manufacturing operations in Scunthorpe / Picture: British Steel

Rob Draper, British Steel’s port manager at Immingham Bulk Terminal, said: “These Tukan cranes are a real step forward for our port operations. They’re equipped with the latest technical advances in dig depth optimisation, a system designed by Ardelt engineers to ensure continuous peak performance and eliminate inefficiencies. They also have an operating radius designed for the largest dry cargo ships and with their ability to slew (rotate) too, they’re much more flexible – and that brings huge advantages during vessel cleaning, grab changes and maintenance.

“It’s fantastic to see these impressive machines at Immingham, their scale is truly awesome. It’s exciting to start embracing the new technology they offer and there is no doubt they’ll be hugely beneficial to our efficient unloading activities.”

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