The facility, completed in December 2023, is designed to manage the unloading of various fine ores and iron ore concentrates, with a capacity to handle approximately 5 million tonnes of iron ore annually. It allows for the unloading of about 840 tonnes per hour. The operation of the wagons is managed using a cable shunting system known as "Turtle," and the entire process is controlled from a climate-controlled cabin by a single operator using a joystick.
Additionally, the project included the delivery of 330 pieces of 60 ft InnoWaggons and 1,320 MonTainer XML II containers to ZSSK CARGO, aimed at improving the efficiency of freight train utilization and optimizing railway transport to Třinec.
ZSSK CARGO reported that as of August 2023, it had transported over 28,000 tonnes of iron ore to Třinecké železárny using the Čierna nad Tisou – Čadca railway line. Approximately 52% of this was carried using new Innofreight wagons, translating to 72 train loads averaging more than 2,000 net tonnes each. From the start of 2024, ZSSK CARGO has been leasing special Sggmmrrs platform wagons and containers specifically for the transport of iron ore to the Czech steel plant.
The transition to the Innofreight system and the new unloading technology at the steel factory began with shipments at the start of the year, following a testing phase. Although the system required additional adjustments, regular operations were anticipated to commence from April. This shift represents a move towards more sophisticated and potentially more efficient transport methods. The Innofreight system allows for the use of fewer types of wagons due to its modular nature, simplifying maintenance and reducing the overall number of wagons needed, influenced by the seasonal variability in transport.
ZSSK CARGO, which transports between 2.7 to 2.9 million tonnes of goods annually for this client, has gradually increased its shipments to four trains per day using Innofreight wagons and containers. The company also notes that one two-part articulated Sggmmrrs wagon can transport more than 140 tonnes of goods, with fifteen wagons sufficient for one train.
