Mobile Hopper & Eco Hopper | Ship Unloading

Mobile hoppers can handle a wide variety of bulk materials, from grains and fertilizers to coal and aggregates, making them highly versatile for different industries. Their ability to manage different cargo types ensures that ports can handle various shipments with minimal equipment changes.

1. Unloading Agriculture Goods

Unload grains and other agricultural products from ships at bulk handling terminals.

2. Unloading Bulk Minerals

In the coal and mining industries, mobile hoppers facilitate the unloading of coal, ores, and minerals from ships.

3. Unloading Construction Materials

Unload building materials like cement, sand, and gravel from ships, helping construction companies streamline their supply chain.

4. Handling Other Materials

Handling fertilizers, chemicals, and other fine bulk materials.

The mobile hopper acts like a funnel, allowing the grab ship unloader to discharge its load into a wide opening hopper. And it can be specially designed to contain dust as the material falls, minimizing environmental impact from emissions. This kind of mobile hopper equipped with a dust removal system is also called Eco Hopper.

Common Types of Mobile Hoppers

• Fixed Mobile Hopper
• Rail-mounted Mobile Hopper
• Tyre-mounted Mobile Hopper
• Dust Removal Mobile Hopper ( Eco Hopper )

Mobile Eco Hopper for Ship Unloading Via Grab Ship Unloader

Installation Types of Mobile Hopper

We offer a wide variety of mobile hopper designs, and full customization will accommodate even the most unique operations. We offer hoppers in various installation methods.

• Fixed (stationary) installations
• Rail-mounted
• Rubber-tire mounted
• Manual movement (towing)
• Self-powered

Our receiving hoppers feature industry-proven technology that adapts to the different characteristics of dry bulk materials, from rough and abrasive cargoes to powdery cargoes, and sets new standards for terminal hoppers. According to customer needs, we can provide Eco hoppers. The through put of the terminal can be increased by just adding one or more mobile hoppers, provided the collecting belt conveyor and the subsequent handling equipment are designed for future capacity increase with larger vessels.

Hopper Models	Hopper Volume (m³)	Unloading Capacity (t/h)
MH40	40	300-600
MH50	50	400-800
MH60	60	500-1000
MH70	70	600-1250
MH80	80	800-1600
MH90	100	1000-2000
MH60D	60	1250-2500
MH70D	70	1000-2000
MH80D	80	1250-2500
MH100D	100	1600-3200

1. What is a mobile hopper for ship unloading?

A mobile hopper for ship unloading is a bulk material handling unit designed to receive materials discharged from ships by grab cranes or other unloading equipment. It temporarily stores the material and transfers it to trucks, belt conveyors, or downstream handling systems. Mobile hoppers are commonly used in ports handling coal, iron ore, aggregates, fertilizer, grain, and other dry bulk materials.

2. What is an Eco Hopper?

An Eco Hopper is an environmentally focused port hopper designed to receive bulk materials during ship unloading while reducing dust emissions and material spillage. Depending on its design, it may incorporate dust extraction, filtration, enclosed transfer sections, flexible sealing systems, and controlled discharge equipment.

3. What is the difference between a mobile hopper and an Eco Hopper?

A conventional mobile hopper mainly provides flexible material receiving, buffering, and transfer. An Eco Hopper places additional emphasis on dust containment and environmental protection, often incorporating an integrated dust suppression or extraction system.

A mobile hopper can also be designed as an Eco Hopper, combining mobility with dust control features. The best configuration depends on cargo properties, port regulations, unloading capacity, and site conditions.

4. What materials can a mobile ship unloading hopper handle?

Mobile hoppers can be configured for a wide range of dry bulk materials, including:

• Coal and coke
• Iron ore and mineral concentrates
• Limestone and aggregates
• Cement and clinker
• Fertilizer
• Grain and other agricultural products
• Other industrial bulk materials

The hopper design, liner material, discharge system, and dust control method should be selected according to material density, particle size, moisture content, abrasiveness, and flow characteristics.

5. How does an Eco Hopper reduce dust during ship unloading?

An Eco Hopper can reduce dust through a combination of enclosed receiving areas, flexible sealing curtains, dust extraction and filtration, and controlled material discharge. Some applications may also use water mist or other dust suppression methods where suitable.

The required system depends on the cargo. Fine, dry, dusty materials generally require more effective containment and extraction than coarse, low-dust materials.

6. What dust control systems are available for Eco Hoppers?

Common options include bag filters, cartridge filters, extraction fans, enclosed transfer points, sealing curtains, and material-specific dust suppression systems. The system should be designed around the expected dust load, airflow requirements, cargo properties, and applicable environmental standards.

7. What is the typical capacity of a mobile hopper for ship unloading?

Mobile hopper capacity varies by design and application. The required capacity should be determined by the grab size, crane unloading cycle, peak material discharge rate, and the capacity of the downstream conveyor or truck loading system.

Both hopper storage volume and continuous discharge capacity must be considered to prevent overflow or bottlenecks during ship unloading.

8. How does a mobile hopper transfer material to trucks or conveyors?

A mobile hopper typically uses a controlled discharge system, such as a belt feeder, vibrating feeder, or another suitable feeding arrangement. Material can then be transferred to trucks, mobile conveyors, fixed belt conveyors, or other downstream equipment.

The discharge design should match the material's flow properties and the receiving equipment's required capacity.

9. Can a mobile hopper be moved between different berths?

Yes. Depending on its configuration, a mobile hopper may use wheels, rail-mounted travel, or other engineered mobility systems. Mobility allows the hopper to serve different unloading positions and cargo handling operations.

The selection should consider berth layout, ground or rail conditions, relocation frequency, utility connections, and the available movement route.

10. What is the difference between a mobile hopper and a fixed hopper?

A mobile hopper can be relocated between designated working areas, providing greater flexibility for multi-berth or multi-cargo operations. A fixed hopper is installed at a permanent position and may be suitable for facilities with stable, high-volume material flow.

Mobile equipment can reduce dependence on multiple fixed receiving points, but the overall cost advantage depends on utilization, relocation requirements, and site infrastructure.

11. Can an Eco Hopper be used for coal and iron ore unloading?

Yes. Eco Hoppers can be designed for coal, iron ore, and other mineral bulk materials. Coal handling often requires particular attention to dust, fire risk, and material characteristics, while abrasive ores may require wear-resistant liners and heavy-duty discharge components.

The hopper and dust control system must be engineered for the specific cargo and operating conditions.

12. Can an Eco Hopper handle grain and fertilizer?

Yes, provided that the hopper is designed for the relevant cargo. Grain handling may require attention to contamination prevention, product integrity, and food-grade requirements where applicable. Fertilizer selection should account for corrosion, moisture sensitivity, dust, and material flow characteristics.

13. How do I choose the right mobile hopper or Eco Hopper?

Key selection factors include:

• Cargo type, density, moisture, and particle size
• Required ship unloading rate
• Grab bucket capacity and discharge pattern
• Hopper volume and discharge capacity
• Dust emission control requirements
• Truck or conveyor interface
• Mobility and berth layout
• Corrosion and wear protection
• Maintenance access and operating conditions

The hopper, feeder, dust control system, and downstream conveyor should be evaluated as one integrated ship unloading system.

14. Can a mobile Eco Hopper work with a mobile conveyor?

Yes. A mobile Eco Hopper can be integrated with a mobile belt conveyor system to transfer bulk material from the ship unloading area to stockpiles, storage facilities, or other conveying equipment. The interface should be designed to match conveyor capacity, discharge height, transfer-point geometry, and dust containment requirements.

15. What information is needed to design a mobile hopper for a port?

To select a suitable mobile hopper or Eco Hopper, provide the cargo type, required unloading capacity in tonnes per hour, grab bucket volume, target dust control level, discharge method, truck or conveyor requirements, berth layout, mobility requirements, and local environmental regulations.

This information helps determine hopper volume, feeder configuration, dust extraction capacity, structural design, and mobility system.