Blug grabs provide a wide range of solutions
Blug’s solutions for shipboard cranes have a wide range of possibilities. The company is a worldwide grab manufacturer offering a quality rope-operated, hydraulic and electro-hydraulic or motor grab catalogue. Its solutions range from single-rope operated radio controlled and automatic grabs, to 4-rope or
electro-hydraulic high-volume grabs that fit any crane, material and production requirements. Blug grabs are designed to guarantee a long working period and low maintenance operations under fatigue effects and the most demanding conditions. The products are specially conceived to be assembled using an innovative modular manufacturing process so that Blug can offer a quality and price-competitive solution for each application.
The CV2 clamshell electro-hydraulic grab is widely used for shipboard crane application and is a good example of the Blug grabs’ efficiency and reliability. This clamshell grab can reach a capacity of 18m3 for the standard models and 25m3 for special developments.
Market requirements in the last years show a clear tendency towards high strength and wear steel. Customers need to maximize handling capacity to increase production; that’s why the grab’s dead weight has to be optimized in such a way as to be competitive. The evolution of the capacity of port and shipboard cranes has pushed grab manufacturers to develop higher-performing grabs. High strength materials allow for a reduction in the thickness of the structure without penalizing the reliability. The valves, arms and components in direct contact with materials can present fast wear due to their rubbing during loading cycles. Blug grabs include abrasion-resistant materials (with hardness up to 600 HBW) that prevent wear and increase grabs’ working performances.
Credeblug has been continuously adapting and developing its product range to improve the loading capacity and environmental impact of its grabs. Over the last few years, Credeblug has paid particular attention to its ecologically friendly grab range. Due to pollution that bulk material loading can produce over the environment, Blug products include dust- proof closed valves structures.
The current market situation demands fast loading-unloading cycles to minimize docking costs. That’s why Blug grabs are always designed to ensure that the time needed for opening and closing operations is minimized. Further evidence of its dedication to customer service is its integral solutions development. There are more and more cases where shipboard grabs need flexibility in terms of mobility and electric feeding. For these cases Blug provides mobile feeding drums that can be easily transported and provide electric power for electro-hydraulic grabs.
In order to adapt the grab’s capacity to different material handling the company’s design office has developed an innovative grab’s spreading limiting system, which can be easily assembled to the grab when heavier materials need to be handled by adapting the maximum working volume to crane’s safety loading capacity. This system adapts grab’s functioning to each material maximum load and facilitates different materials handling using the same grab and crane. The kick plates for grab multiple volume reduction also allows matching of the crane capacity limitation for multiple material handling.
To improve grab efficiency, the electro-hydraulic BLUG range includes variable flow piston pump operated hydraulic systems. This kind of component continuously adapts and optimizes the grab’s developed power during opening/closing operations. The most important advantage of this is that electric demand is reduced more than 40% compared with fixed flow hydraulic systems. Electrical efficiency thus becomes very important in reducing customers’ operational costs and the environmental impact of the grabs. Blug shipboard grabs incorporate anti- pollution systems to avoid any particle to enter into the oil deposit making the grab totally oil-tight. The hydraulic cylinder rods are also protected from marine environment and possible shocks and impacts during loading and unloading operations.

The Grab Specialist B.V. delivers bulk handling grab to Mammoet
After being requested by Mammoet, a worldwide heavy lifting and transport specialist, The Grab Specialist B.V. (T.G.S.), represented by Emiel Bleyenberg, designed, manufactured and delivered within seven weeks this electro- hydraulic heavy duty bulk handling grab.
The design is so special
because it needs to handle heavy bulk material with densities up to 7.2 tonne per m3 and sizes of 150m/m. The capacity of the grab is 3m3 with an empty weight of 18 metric tonnes.
T.G.S. designs,
develops and manufactures grabs for the dry bulk cargo, dredging and recycling industries. Its main objective is to ensure that all products supplied add value for the clients. Product development is guaranteed, solving specific problems for its clients is the cornerstone of its business philosophy.
The Grab Specialist B.V. strategy is built upon 50 years of experience in the ‘grabbing’ business which ensures that the end product offers favourable operating expenses of the grab, due to an excellent price-quality ratio, and low maintenance costs.


Upfront investment in quality grabs pays off for top operators
As global port capex remains tight and operation budgets continue to face cost pressures, an Australasian grab manufacturer is sticking to its philosophy of producing high quality, highly productive bulk grabs.
“The global grabs market has seen unprecedented levels of competition develop in the last five years. However our market has continued to grow in response to demand from clients seeking to minimize their ongoing maintenance costs, post purchase,” says PM Grabs manager, Bruce Ennis.
He sees the grab market splitting into two distinct groups recently as a result of the ongoing budgetary pressure operators face in a tight credit environment. That market is now divided by clients seeking grabs with low capital outlays, and those prepared to invest more upfront.
This is a market often involved in greater client-manufacturer liaison and effort on behalf of the manufacturer, but one that results in greater payback for both parties over the life of the grab.
He agrees PM Grabs has never held itself out to be the cheapest bulk grab manufacturer on the market.
“We have found it heartening that a recent global port survey by the engineering corporation Trelleborg indicated the top operators recognize including maintenance costs into the equation when purchasing high cost gear like grabs, is the only true way to evaluate supplier performance.”
The same survey indicated almost half port operators and all port contractors surveyed felt maintenance costs are a greater issue than a year ago. Worryingly, a similar proportion noted maintenance levels had reduced as a result of budget pressures in the past 12 months. The survey noted that more value needed to be given to suppliers who can “demonstrate genuine design and manufacture capability, technical support and customer endorsement.”
“It is good to see PM Grabs can tick the boxes on all those fronts, and explains the calibre of clients we have acquired within the Australasian region, despite this tightening on capex that has happened,” said Ennis.
The company has beaten global competition to acquire some high profile commissions at operations that include P&O Automotive and General Stevedoring (POAGS) in Brisbane and Darwin, the giant Koniambo nickel project in New Caledonia and ISO stevedores in Tauranga New Zealand.
POAGS Brisbane was one of PM Grabs first commissions, and the brief when supplying four 10m3 remote grabs was rapid payback, minimal down time and high productivity at discharge.
POAGS Brisbane reported productivity gains of 50% and more, fulfilling expectations for the grabs to meet full cost recovery within 12 months of commissioning.
Lighter load cargo discharge operations recorded pull rates of up to 400tph (tonnes per hour) for products like sand, against usual averages of 200tph. Shift time savings are critical at the facility where bulk cargo savings of up to 15 hours in berthing are valuable for ships bound for the busy Newcastle port.
In New Zealand the decision by ISO to opt for PM Grabs’ 14m3 remote release grabs came down to requiring a grab that
incurred lower operating costs and minimal down time during shifts.    ISO plant manager Chris Robinson said the company’s key operational goal was to maximize hook cycle productivity across the broad range of bulk cargoes and varying vessel types handled at the facility.
“Downtime between 12 hour shifts has been reduced to a mere 15 minutes for hosing chains with oil and greasing,” says Robinson.
PM Grabs worked closely with ISO prior to commissioning, developing features tailored to the company’s requirements.
These included such additions as rubber block damping to reduce contact noise between arms and grab head on opening. A two-stage variable damper valve is also fitted to control opening speed, and reduce dust levels at discharge — both additions have ultimately been combined into the common grab design.
The company has developed a range of diesel hydraulic and remote release grabs with a low drift profile, offering maximum productivity and capacity across a wide range of cargoes and facilities. These are proving critical capabilities in an environment where clients are seeking maximum flexibility from high value capital components. Both types of grabs share some central design features including a unique serrated edge and bucket seal design, a low centre of gravity and adjustable bucket opening.The diesel hydraulic models include integrated features to reduce noise and dust emissions, increasingly key requirements from clients at port facilities.
Bruce Ennis is confident the prevailing uncertainty around capex by port operators will ease as prospects for sustained global growth become more certain. With that PM Grabs aims to ride the anticipated surge for high quality equipment.This includes high capacity hoppers that integrate with the diesel hydraulic grabs for an integrated seamless bulk handling system.
“Our confidence is reinforced when you have large global identities pointing to the need for more ‘whole of life’ costs central to the capital expenditure equation. PM Grabs is already fulfilling that need — they may not be the cheapest, but it is equipment that delivers highly productive solutions, with minimal down time and ongoing maintenance, thanks to good design and robust construction.”


Recent grab orders from ORTS GmbH Maschinenfabrik Sereetz
In July 2011 ORTS GmbH Maschinenfabrik delivered the following orders:
  • 2 units 24m3 4-rope grabs for the Far East; y 8 units electro-hydraulic grabs EHS-B 12m3 for a customer in Singapore; and
  • earlier this year ORTS also delivered a set of electro- hydraulic grabs EHS-B 10m3 to the Near East.
 
“Most of our customers are shipping companies and they are located around the world.” says Sigvard Orts Jr., ORTS GmbH Maschinenfabrik Sereetz, Germany.
“But we also deliver special constructions to building and construction companies, for example in the USA and Belgium.”
ORTS’ grabs are in operation not only on- board of bulk carriers, but also at water power plants and iron and steel works.
According to Orts Jr. the crisis two years ago didn’t harm the company and all its customers were well prepared and had solid finance situations.
“This year we have a
kind of jubilee: nearly 20 years ago we started to develop the very first radio controlled diesel-hydraulic grab.” says Orts Jr.
“The idea was to find an alternative solution to the mechanical single rope grabs.”
Mechanical single rope grabs are robust and easy to maintain (back then, they were purely mechanical, without radio controlled systems for opening the grab, which are available today).
However, the disadvantages are:
  • quite low tph (tonnes per hour) turnaround, because this grab type is slow;
  • difficulties with heavy bulk cargo;
  • problems caused by the working height: in ports with low tides it can happen that the deck cranes cannot reach the top of the hoppers with the grabs, when the water is low. Later on the hoppers were developed and fitted with dust-reduction systems. Because of that it appears that the mechanical single rope grabs were no longer allowed to use the hopper for the ‘touch down’ to open the grab. To open such a grab in the air over the hopper there are two possibilities: with a rip cord via hand pull or with a radio control.
The radio controlled diesel-hydraulic grabs developed by ORTS have the following benefits:
  • high turn around tph;
  • high closing force on the clamshell knives (effective handling of heavy bulk cargo);
  • no working high (grab is connected to the crane hook with a short chain suspension); and
  • additional: compared to the mechanical single rope grabs, the dead weight is lower.
Mr Orts Jr. adds “As far as we know, ORTS was the very first grab maker with a radio controlled diesel-hydraulic grab in its product range.”
ORTS’s diesel-hydraulic grabs are also available in orange-peel design for example rocks, scrap and coarse limestone.
In South Africa the company had a project which showed the power of its diesel-hydraulic grabs: a damaged bulker had to be emptied as fast as possible, because with its load the vessel couldn’t go for repairs. The customer took ORTS’s diesel- hydraulic grabs via air freight down to South Africa and the grabs did their job very successfully (176,000 tonnes fine iron ore were discharged within the shortest time).
The customer knew about ORTS’ diesel-hydraulic grabs from a former, similar “emergency”- project in Singapore and he knew what the ORTS grabs was capable of.