A PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY OF STEAM COAL SLURRY MARINE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

The anticipated increase in the export of steam coal from the United States provides an opportunity for establishing advanced handling and transport systems to serve the new markets. This study investigated the feasibility of using a coal-water slurry system to move the commodities in question. A specific export opportunity, from the U.S. to a new Mediterranean power plant, was investigated in detail. The study found that the use of slurry technology was technically feasible and offered the advantage of rapid loading and discharge rates, the ability to operate at offshore terminals and the elimination of air pollution during loading and unloading operations. The major disadvantages were found to be the requirements for large quantities of fresh water and the inherent problems of dewatering for both the ship loading and the power plant receiving portions of the system. The use of converted ships for the slurry trade were also studied. Converting a 225,000 DWT VLCC and an 80,000 DWT OBO were both found to be feasible, and the freight rates were found to be competitive.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored in part by American Bulk Cement Systems, Inc., New York.
• Corporate Authors:

  Hydronautics, Incorporated

  7210 Pindel School Road
  Laurel, MD  United States  20810

  Maritime Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Bulk Cement Systems, Incorporated

  New York, NY  United States 
• Authors:
  • Roseman, D P
  • Tomassoni, C
• Publication Date: 1977-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 150 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Cargo ships; Coal; Coal industry; Costs; Freight traffic; International trade; Marine terminals; Offshore structures; Offshore terminals; Pipeline transportation; Rates; Shipping; Slurry; Slurry pipelines; Transportation; Transportation operations; Water transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis; Freight rates; Transportation management
• Old TRIS Terms: Offshore terminals slurries; Slurries; Slurry transportation
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00175152
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: MA-RD-940-78025 Final Rpt., 7692-1
• Contract Numbers: MA-6-38072
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 26 1978 12:00AM