Pioneering Test Transport of DRI Ushers in New Era for Steel Production and Rail Logistics

ArcelorMittal, DB Cargo, and Innofreight have successfully completed the first test transport of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), marking a significant milestone in the evolution of the steel industry towards climate-neutral production.

DRI is a preliminary product of the steel industry that will replace the classic coal-based blast furnace process in the future. The DRI process, which is powered by green hydrogen and renewable energy, is intended to enable climate-neutral production.

ArcelorMittal generated the DRI for the test run in the first industrial facility of its kind in Europe at its plant in Hamburg using natural gas. DB Cargo organized the train journey. The material was unloaded at the stationary unloading machine (SUM) set up by Innofreight and DB Cargo at the ArcelorMittal steelworks in Eisenhüttenstadt. The first test unloading at the SUM went without problems, confirming that the system works smoothly.

“DRI has special safety and quality requirements, which were taken into account when developing the DryTainer. This container offers the world’s first solution for reliable transport by rail,” explains Dr. Richard Schanner, developer of the DryTainer system and Senior Engineer & Researcher at Innofreight.

Thanks to its four-sided pyramid shape, the DryTainer leaves as little air as possible in the container and prevents dust pollution during loading and unloading. To simplify unloading, the shape of the DryTainer is also adapted to a dumping cone. This minimizes the risk of abrasion and breakage during loading activities. So the high quality product properties of DRI are reserved.

Innofreight is the first company to transport this reactive material on rail. In addition to DRI, the DryTainer can be used for other moisture-sensitive, dusty and corrosive goods, such as salt, cement clinker, quicklime or quartz crystals.

 

Source: Innofreight Press Releases