Skip to content
  • About us
  • Events & demos
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Videos
  • FAQ
  • Technology
  • E-cranes
    • Uppers
      • 700B series
      • 1000C series
      • 1500C series
      • 1800C series
      • 2000C series
      • 3000C series
      • 4000C series
    • Lowers
    • Grabs & Attachments
  • Applications
    • Deep Water Ports
    • Inland River Terminals
    • Midstream Transfer
    • Scrap Recycling
    • Steel Mills
    • Dredging
    • Refinery
    • Marine Construction
    • Specialty
  • Case studies
  • Support
    • Service and maintenance
    • Training and commissioning
    • Documentation and manuals
  • Contact us

Global Materials Services

Global Materials Services operates two E-Cranes on a floating platform on the Orinoco River in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, unloading bauxite from barges into receiving hoppers. Installed in 2002 and 2003, the E-Cranes handle approximately 5.3 million tons of bauxite annually, supporting the supply chain for alumina production.

Applications:

Inland river terminals

Attachment:

6,5 m³ / 8.5 yd³ Hydraulic Clamshell Grab

Duty Cycle Capacity:

-

Lift Capacity

19,0 Mton / 20.9 USton

Location:

Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela

Crane lower:

Barge

Power source:

200 kW / 300 hp Electric Motor

Reach:

26,4 m / 86,5 ft

Model:

11264 PD-E

Tags:

Barge Unloading,Bulk handling

Global Materials Services2026-10-19T14:58:25+02:00

The Challenge:
Handling 5.3 Million Tons of Bauxite in Just Seven Months

Global Materials Services needed a faster and more efficient solution for unloading bauxite transported by barge along the Orinoco River. The existing ship unloaders required extensive maintenance and were unable to achieve the required production levels. Adding to the challenge, approximately 5.3 million tons of bauxite must be handled within just seven months, because the Orinoco becomes too shallow for barge transportation during the dry season. This creates an intensive operating window in which unloading equipment must perform reliably 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“This is the real test for material handling equipment. We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 7 months straight. For equipment to hold up as well as the E-Crane in this environment, I would say it has PhD credentials! I really like the E-Crane concept and execution. The machine is easy to operate and maintenance friendly.”

Mr. Louis Mok

The Solution:
Reliable Floating Barge Unloading for Intensive Operations

Global Materials Services replaced its previous ship unloaders with two E-Cranes designed to meet the demanding production schedule on the Orinoco River. Installed on a floating platform, the cranes provide a direct and efficient transfer of bauxite from incoming barges into two receiving hoppers.

The solution includes:

  • Two E-Cranes, installed in 2002 and 2003, operating from a floating platform at mile 182 of the Orinoco River in Puerto Ordaz.

  • A 26.4 m / 86.5 ft reach and 6.5 m³ / 8.5 yd³ Hydraulic Clamshell Grab for efficient bauxite barge unloading.

  • A barge-mounted configuration, with the E-Cranes unloading directly into two hoppers installed on the same floating platform.

  • A 200 kW / 300 hp Electric Motor and 19.0 Mton / 20.9 USton lift capacity, providing the performance required for the operation’s intensive seven-month handling season.

Get in touch
Download the PDF about this case study

BUSINESS OUTCOME

The two E-Cranes enable Global Materials Services to handle approximately 5.3 million tons of bauxite annually within a seven-month operating window, running 24/7 during the shipping season. The customer specifically highlights the machines’ durability, ease of operation, and maintenance-friendly design under these demanding conditions.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Privacy*

E-Crane® is a family-owned company designing, manufacturing and supporting its cranes worldwide.

Get in touch
  • Technology & Innovation
  • Applications
  • E-cranes
    • Uppers
    • Lowers
    • Grabs
  • Case studies
  • Support and service
  • Events & demo
  • About us
  • News
  • FAQ
  • Jobs
  • Videos

© 2026 E-Crane

Cookie Policy – Privacy Policy

Website by Digital Leader

Page load link
  • Technology
  • E-cranes
    • Uppers
      • 700B series
      • 1000C series
      • 1500C series
      • 1800C series
      • 2000C series
      • 3000C series
      • 4000C series
    • Lowers
    • Grabs & Attachments
  • Applications
    • Deep Water Ports
    • Inland River Terminals
    • Midstream Transfer
    • Scrap Recycling
    • Steel Mills
    • Dredging
    • Refinery
    • Marine Construction
    • Specialty
  • Case studies
  • Support
    • Service and maintenance
    • Training and commissioning
    • Documentation and manuals
  • Contact us
  • About us
  • Events & demos
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Videos
  • FAQ
E-crane
Manage Consent

To provide you with the best possible experience, we use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access device data. If you consent to the use of these technologies, we may process data such as your browsing behaviour or unique identifiers on this website. If you do not give your consent or withdraw it, this may have adverse consequences for certain functions and features.

Functionality Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or solely for the purpose of transmitting a communication via an electronic communications network.
Preferences
Technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences which the subscriber or user has not requested.
Statistics
The technical storage or retrieval of data used exclusively for statistical purposes. De technische opslag of toegang die uitsluitend wordt gebruikt voor anonieme statistische doeleinden. Zonder dagvaarding, vrijwillige naleving door je Internet Service Provider, of aanvullende gegevens van een derde partij, kan informatie die alleen voor dit doel wordt opgeslagen of opgehaald gewoonlijk niet worden gebruikt om je te identificeren.
Marketing
Technical storage or access is required to create user profiles for the purpose of sending adverts, or to track the user on a website or across multiple websites for similar marketing purposes.
  • Manage options
  • Manage services
  • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
  • Read more about these purposes
View preferences
  • {title}
  • {title}
  • {title}
Go to Top