Giant stacker-reclaimer makes move from Victoria to Vancouver

VICTORIA — A massive stacker-reclaimer is coming apart and moving from Victoria to Vancouver.

Assembly of the stacker-reclaimer by industry group Ralmax, one of the largest fabrication projects on Vancouver Island, took place over the last eight months on Vancouver Island and began fabrication at United Engineering Ltd.’s Sidney, B.C. location in early 2019. The machine is used to lift and load steelmaking coal.

A 68-tonne Slewbed, 90-tonne C-Frame and 73-tonne Gantry were the first pieces completed in June through to October 2019 and were then loaded onto flatbed trailers and transported down the Victoria International Airport runway after hours and loaded onto a barge at Patricia Bay bound for Victoria harbour.

“It is so tall that Transport Canada requires it to have a navigation light on top,” a release from the Ralmax Group stated.

Assembly of the stacker-reclaimer then began at the Point Hope Maritime yard and once fully assembled and following operational testing the machine will be loaded onto barges and towed to Neptune Terminals in the Lower Mainland.  

The terminal handles steelmaking coal mined in B.C. and Alberta and the machine will be used to stack coal onto the pile when unloaded from trains, as well as reclaim it to send to the shiploader for loading ships.

“Our successful completion of this project is a result of over 100,000 work hours from start to finish from our dedicated and highly skilled employees, contractors and subtrades,” the release said.

The tripper conveyor and stacker-reclaimer will go onto barges in the next two weeks and are scheduled to leave Victoria on Aug. 15.