Spout Removal and Rebuild at an International Grain Terminal

After an incident damaged the #1 spout on their grain loader, Kalama Export–an international grain terminal in Kalama, WA–suddenly had an abundance of problems. In order to properly repair the spout, it would have to be completely removed, re-built and re-installed. Making matters more complicated, the spout was damaged in such a way that removing it posed a potential safety risk. And every day the spout was down, Kalama Export was losing revenue.

When they contacted our Portland-based millwright services crew, Omega Morgan was fully committed to getting Kamala Export’s loader back at capacity, as quickly as possible. We moved fast, pulling together a host of resources and an all-star team to complete this complex repair.

A Complicated and Costly Break

The first major challenge our team faced was getting the damaged spout out of the air.

The spout’s stability relied on all of the individual components being intact. It was composed of one mast section, two telescoping boom sections, discharge piping, dust control ducting and rigging and installation aids.

When it was damaged, there was very little preventing the spout from falling out of the air. Before we could do anything, Omega Morgan first had to consult with engineering crews to determine how to stiffen and brace the spout so it could be removed in a safe and controlled way.

As is often the case when major equipment breaks, time was not on our side. While the spout was down, Kamala Export could only operate at three-quarters capacity. With less through-put at the terminal, there were fewer ships coming in. Revenue would continue to take a hit until the spout was up and running.

Kamala Export and our crew’s primary concern was completing this complicated removal and rebuild both safely and quickly.

The Rebuild: Working with Diligence

The complexities didn’t stop once the spout was on the ground. The rebuild was next, and we now had to decide which components of the spout could be safely and effectively re-used.

We meticulously inspected the spout from top to bottom for damage, cracks and deformations. However, there were no original designs of the spout to work with–all components that needed to be rebuilt had to be carefully reverse-engineered before fabrication.

This incident was a major insurance claim for Kalama Export. Not only did Omega Morgan rescue and rebuild the spout, we also made sure to document and track our repair efforts in a way that met the insurance adjusters’ requirements.

Great Work by a World-Class Crew

To tackle this project, we pulled together the resources of our marine crews, machine shop, and Omega Morgan Logistics.

We also called on the expertise of our fantastic subcontractors: Thompson Metal Fab, Swan Island Sheet Metal and Crescere Marine Engineering. Together, we moved fast and executed with excellence.

The incident occurred in May. The replacement spout was back up and operating in early September–and Kalama Export is very satisfied with the end result.