Latvians can! Innovative bulk solution for handling services developed

Developing Latvia’s export capacity requires local companies that are able to offer innovative goods and services to international customers with high added value. One such company is GRAVITI, a company that was established only two years ago, but already provides reliable, innovative products for more efficient, faster and more cost-effective handling of bulk cargo not only in major Latvian terminals and ports, but also in the international market, such as Georgia and In Russia.

PRODUCT — FROM LOCAL INNOVATION TO A GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY The company offers self-discharging containers for handling bulk cargo such as minerals, grain or pellets. The main innovation of this product is the remotely opening bottom of the container, making it easy and quick to unload the cargo to its intended place. This saves a lot of time. For example, loading grain into the ship’s hold with the GRAVITI solution will be up to 70% faster. This type of transhipment also reduces CO2 pollution and saves up to 35% on unloading costs, which is especially important during a pandemic, as all companies are looking for ways to optimize OPEX and CAPEX.

“Graviti discharging containers are suitable for most bulk cargoes, and they do not require special, additional equipment — a crane, a container grab can be enough. The opening of the container bottom doors is controlled remotely and closing is secured with the help of hydraulic cylinders,” says Dinis Khrushchev, one of the co-owners of GRAVITI. The system also allows two or more cranes to be used simultaneously during handling. A 30m2 container with common design and a transfer rate of 450tph (tonnes per hour) is available, saving 25% on loading costs, and a 40m2 container with a common design and a transfer rate of 650tphr, saving 35% on loading costs. Overall containers can secure 1.5 times more productivity than standard handling methods and are emptied in 30 seconds.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCT AUTHORS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS Of course, such an innovative product would not have been possible without bright minds and great entrepreneurial spirit. The company was created just two years ago, combining advanced technical knowledge with a business vision. One of the founders of GRAVITI is a secondgeneration metallurgist with an education in engineering, and the other is an entrepreneur-visionary. Combining existing knowledge, experience and creativity, they have created a solution that significantly (up to 1.7 times) speeds up bulk loading by optimizing routine operations in ports, terminals and international cargo handling markets.

When the product was developed, the company started delivering the first containers to Latvian buyers. The first customer to believe in the GRAVITI project was the experienced stevedoring and cargo handling provider GS Stividoring Ltd., which purchased six 40m3 containers and quickly became convinced that they provided a significant advantage over competitors. In total, more than 30 containers were delivered to Latvian buyers and the company carefully monitoring their operations, during that time have not received any complaints about the performance of containers!

Olegs Vonogs, Technical Director of GS Stividoring, said the company needed to come up with new solutions to optimize processes and reduce costs, and GRAVITI offered solution that increased handling speeds by 10-15% and reduced the cost of the entire process. “Transport costs also decreased, as we were able to reduce the number of trucks for cargo transportation, instead of moving containers with one port tractor. In general, the funds invested in the purchase of containers paid off within a year and a half.” The company’s representative also emphasizes the high

GRAVITI self-discharging containers at "Riga Central Terminal" (RCT).

unloading speed, an average of 350tph, the ease of use of containers, attractive design, as well as relatively low maintenance costs.

The first customer was joined by several others, including the largest multifunctional stevedoring company in Latvia, Riga Central Terminal (RCT), which has now become a regular customer of GRAVITI and has been using the company’s services for a year and a half. In addition, RCT carried out prototype tests on the first GRAVITI container at its terminal. RCT handles various types of transit cargo on a daily basis, and a significant part of this cargo is bulk. In order for the terminal to operate more efficiently, GRAVITI provides equipment rental, allowing RCT to carry out fast and optimized transshipment of bulk cargo without additional financial investment.

“Co-operation with GRAVITI is very beneficial for our company, and it allows us to significantly increase our competitiveness in the market,” emphasizes Ildars Mannanovs, Head of Container and Bulk Cargo Handling at Riga Central Terminal (RCT).

Riga Universal Terminal (RUT), which handles more than 3mt (million tonnes) of cargo per year, including bulk cargo handling, has already used GRAVITI containers multiple times. RUT also handles food bulk cargo, so less pollution of cargo, which is ensured by selfdischarging trucks, is a particularly important aspect for the company. On the other hand, Viesturs Ošenieks, Head of the Technical Department of Riga Universal Terminal (RUT), points out, “the containers offered by Graviti have proven to be a good and efficient technology, and I would like to compliment the company for such an innovative solution.”

Following GRAVITI’s contribution to more optimal port and terminal operations at home market, the company’s potential was also recognized by international customers, from Georgia and Russia. GRAVITI has developed a complex solution for the Georgian company AP Terminals Poti to ensure stable and fast bulk handling. By delivering a total of 8 containers, GRAVITI has enabled the terminal to reduce its handling costs by approximately three times compared to conventional bulk handling solutions.

PROGRESS AND VISION FOR THE FUTURE In 2021, GRAVITI containers were used for loading more than 100 ships. The volume of transshipped cargo is 1.5mt per year. In addition, during these two years of operation, no complaints have been received about the performance of containers, no repairs required and no containers have been returned by customers.

In addition to cost-effectiveness and benefits for customers, the GRAVITI solution has the advantage of being environmentally friendly, which is increasingly valued by both local and international customers, and will keep growing, considering importance of climate change, making GRAVITI stand out from other handling solutions.

The company is currently continuing to explore new export markets, claiming GRAVITI containers as a new export product worth of being located in the world’s largest ports around the world.GRAVITI containers are being delivered to “AP Terminals Poti” in Georgia.

Bulk cargo loading at the terminal in Vecmilgravis.