The port in Duisburg-Schwelgern
Our May drone image
- What are we looking at here?
The camera drone is located above one of the largest private inland ports in Germany, the Schwelgern Port. This is the larger of the two plant ports owned by thyssenkrupp Steel. The company uses these ports to ensure the raw materials supply for the components used to produce pig iron.
- What raw materials are these, and where are they from?
These raw materials are iron ore, coal, imported coke, and various aggregates. The ores are from Brazil, Canada, and Australia. The coal also comes from Canada and Australia – as well as from the U.S., Africa, and Asia.
- How are the raw materials transported?
They’re transported from Rotterdam to Duisburg via the Europoort harbor. The push boat fleet from the Dutch subsidiary thyssenkrupp Veerhaven is used in the process. This consists of push barges – these are transportation units that are approximately 80 meters long and can carry loads of up to 2,700 metric tons. Numerous push barges are connected with one another and pushed up and down the Rhine by a push boat.
- What stage of steel production does this represent?
The very beginning, or, more precisely, before pig iron production. From the Schwelgern Port, the raw materials are brought to the plant. Beforehand, the raw materials are mined and then temporarily stored at the seaports. After they are transported to our plant port, we store the raw materials until they are used.
