From Stockpile to Ship: MoistScan Ensures Reliable Moisture Management at Port
Coal | Coal Terminal | Moisture Management
How a major coal terminal harnessed real-time analysis to manage dust, moisture and reduce penalties.
BACKGROUND
In coal export operations, managing moisture is critical to ensuring product quality and meeting international shipping specifications. Excess moisture reduces the energy value of coal, increases handling difficulties during stockpiling and ship loading, and can result in penalties if cargo arrives outside contract requirements. For large coal terminals in Australia, where tens of millions of tonnes are handled annually, even small variations in moisture can create significant logistical and financial impacts. Maintaining consistent, specification-compliant shipments is therefore essential to protecting revenue, optimising vessel loading, and meeting customer expectations.
THE CHALLENGE
This coal terminal receives coal from numerous mines, with approximately 200 coal types—each exhibiting unique moisture behaviours. To manage this complexity, the coals are grouped into 14 calibration categories, each requiring its own profile.
Traditional laboratory testing created delays, as samples often took hours to process. By the time results were available, stockpile conditions could already have changed. Operations were further complicated by the dual flow of inbound trains and outbound ships. Coal may remain stockpiled for days or months, with moisture shifting due to weather, storage, or composition. The terminal also operates near a town, making dust management a recurring issue and increasing the importance of controlling inbound quality while ensuring accurate outbound reporting.
The terminal needed a solution capable of managing multiple coal groups, tracking moisture shifts in real time, and providing reliable data across both inbound and outbound operations. Without this, it risked penalties, customer dissatisfaction, and reputational damage.
THE SOLUTION
RTI deployed six MoistScan microwave moisture analysers across key conveyors handling both train deliveries and ship-loading streams. Each unit was calibrated to the terminal’s 14 coal groups, allowing accurate measurement across hundreds of coal types.
Unlike delayed lab analysis, MoistScan provided operators with immediate visibility into moisture levels. The analysers demonstrated alignment within ±0.6% moisture of laboratory results, giving operators confidence to act on live data when making blending, stockpiling, and loading decisions.
By covering both inbound and outbound flows, the system provided full visibility from train to ship, reducing the risk of shipping coal outside contract requirements and ensuring compliance with international quality standards.
IMPLEMENTATION & DISCOVERY
RTI collaborated with the terminal’s operations team to configure each MoistScan against the site’s coal group structure. Calibration trials confirmed strong alignment with laboratory benchmarks, reinforcing system reliability.
Implementation highlighted the importance of deploying multiple units to capture moisture changes across material flows. Operators also gained insight into how stockpile storage times and environmental factors affected moisture, enabling them to adapt handling strategies. Integration of MoistScan data into the site’s monitoring systems further streamlined operations, providing a consolidated, real-time view of coal quality and supporting faster decision-making.
THE RESULTS
- High Accuracy: MoistScan achieved correlation with lab results within ±0.6% moisture across all coal groups, ensuring confidence in real-time decisions.
- Environmental: Improved dust control and management of moisture reduced the impact on the local environment and community.
- Reduced Delays: Eliminating the 12-24 hour wait for lab results gave operators the ability to act immediately on moisture changes.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Six MoistScans provided continuous monitoring across inbound trains and outbound ship-loading conveyors, ensuring complete visibility over stockpile and shipment quality.
By implementing RTI’s MoistScan, the operation took full, real-time control of dust, moisture and reporting management.
INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE APPLICATIONS
- Other Commodities: Iron ore, bauxite, and cement operations can achieve similar gains by tracking moisture variability in real time.
- Operational Expansion: Additional units could further enhance coverage, particularly at other export terminals or large mines with multiple stockpiles.
- Industry Impact: Real-time moisture intelligence supports the trend toward digital transformation in bulk handling, enabling safer, smarter, and more sustainable operations.
CONCLUSION
This project demonstrates how RTI’s MoistScan technology transforms coal export operations by replacing delayed laboratory testing with accurate, real-time moisture intelligence. For a large Australian coal terminal managing hundreds of coal types, the ability to monitor and act on live data ensures compliance, efficiency, and operational certainty.