Palm Oil Transport from Liverpool's Docks.
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A MONGST the most awkward loads to handle are casks and barrels, particularly when these are charged with a heavy commodity. The heaviest casks are those used for palm oil, chiefly a West African product. Approximately 80,000 tons of this oil WU`, shipped to Liverpool every year, and arc transferred by motor vehicle to various works, notably to those of ce..tain soap and margarine manufac turers, oil refiners, etc. Specialized plant is employed for the handling of these loads, which are generally transported by steam lorry and trailer.
Experiments have been made over a period of years to determine the most efficient and economic mums for unloading casks, each weighing up to 15 cwt., from the ships, and, whereas at one time this work was performed manually, now the common practice at the Toxteth Dock sheds is to employ electric trucks.
The old method of clearing barrels of palm oil when landed from the steamers was to roll them over the ground, and this was undertaken by relays of men— usually three men to each barrel. Apart from the large number of workers who had to be employed, a large expense was incurred in cleaning the floors of the dock sheds from the accumulation of oil which had leaked from the barrels. By using the electric truck, however, as many as 60 barrels per• hour can be handled over a distance of 160 yds. by a gang of 21 men, this including the time occupied in putting the barrels over the weighing machine.
After discharging a cargo of palm oil, the common procedure is to store it at the quayside pending its removal by the consignees. Unless the barrels are stowed conveniently near to an overhead crane, or unless a portable crane of adequate lifting capacity be available, demurrage must inevitably be incurred when the steam wagon comes along.
The journeys involved in distributing the palm oil from the quayside are rarely more than two or three miles long, for the reason that all the factories where the oil is dealt with are within a convenient distance of the docks. A steam wagon generally transports eight 15-cwt. barrels in a single load, in addition, of course, to six on its trailer,_ making a gross load of about 101 tons.
Incidentally, it may be stated that at all the big ports an important trade is done in the collection, sale and distribution of empty cootainers.