Elevated Container Tipping Station for Silo Truck Unloading
An elevated tipping station for unloading 20, 30 and 40ft containers above a silo truck. Custom tipping table with galvanized finish and integrated safety sensors, connected to the wider control system and weighbridge. Read the full project story below.
Recorded project results
Direct unloading above the silo truck
At Maasvlakte, one station handles 20ft, 30ft and 40ft containers. The recorded results show shorter unloading cycles, lower staffing needs and less product loss.
20–30-minute unloading
Previously 60–90 minutes per cycle.
One operator
Previously two to three people.
Less than 1% product loss
Previously up to 10%.
The challenge: unload containers above a silo truck
A bulk-handling equipment producer needed to unload containers of three different lengths directly above a silo truck at Maasvlakte. The tipping table had to fit a support frame supplied by another party and communicate with the surrounding control and weighing equipment. Outdoor operation at height also made container locking and wind monitoring central to the design.
This is the type of interface challenge VAKO addresses in bulk logistics and export: the container, receiving vehicle, structure and controls all have to work together.
The solution
A custom table integrated into the site
VAKO engineered the tipping table around the third-party frame. The station positions and tips a container above the receiving silo truck, with the surrounding controls and weighbridge integrated into the unloading sequence.
The value is in the complete unloading sequence: the container, receiving truck, site controls and weighbridge work together. Explore VAKO’s approach to container tilters and tipping systems.
Recorded at Maasvlakte
Before and after elevated unloading
| Aspect | Previous unloading method | VAKO tipping station |
| Unloading cycle | 60–90 minutes | 20–30 minutes |
| People required | 2–3 operators | 1 operator |
| Product loss | Up to 10% | Less than 1% |
One tipping station. Three container lengths.
At the Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam, this elevated tipping station handles 20ft, 30ft and 40ft containers for controlled unloading into silo trucks. Different container lengths use one dedicated unloading point, reducing extra handling and making better use of the site and equipment.
The hot-dip galvanised table is built for outdoor use. Twistlock, wind-speed and inclination sensors communicate with the control system, while weighbridge integration helps coordinate each unloading cycle.
Commissioned for daily operation at Maasvlakte
VAKO designed the solution with the customer and the producer of the surrounding equipment. The table and safety functions were built and tested, then connected on site to the control system and weighbridge. The station is in daily use at Maasvlakte, unloading different container lengths above a silo truck. The recorded before-and-after figures show how the integrated process reduced handling time, staffing and product loss.
For sites with an existing frame, conveyor, vehicle or control system, this project illustrates why the interfaces should be engineered from the start. See more VAKO project solutions.
The elevated station in use
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