The United Kingdom’s Port of Poole, Europe’s largest natural harbour, has added a Bobcat S630 skid-steer loader (SSL) to its materials handling fleet.
The unit, which Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) ordered with an optional front door, is working in tandem with grab cranes to stockpile materials for transportation.
The S630 has been drafted in to supplement PHC’s existing Bobcat 863 loader, which has been operating at the site for over 15 years.
“We have been using Bobcat skid-steer loaders for many years and we have always found them to be very suitable for the work in the port, offering unmatched reliability throughout their years of service,” explained Paul Gillingham, engineering manager at PHC.
“This is exemplified by our existing Bobcat 863 loader, which we’ve been running trouble-free since its purchase in 1999,” he added.
The S630’s primary responsibility is to form mounds from sand and clay delivered to the quayside. These loads are then transferred to outgoing ships via PHC’s grab cranes. The veteran 863, meanwhile, is now operating in ships’ holds where it works in conjunction with crane-mounted grabs to unload bulk cargoes of grain and animal feed.
The Bobcat S630 is powered by a 55,4kW Stage IIIA Kubota diesel engine. The machine boasts an operating weight of 3,496 kg, a rated operating capacity of 989 kg, and a tipping load of 1,978kg.
PHC’s latest loader was supplied by Kellands (Plant Sales) Ltd, Bobcat’s authorised dealer for the southwest of England.
