MINSK – I had already seen photos of giant dump trucks made in Belarus. After arriving in Minsk at sunset on July 7, the next day the media group from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization first started visiting the Belaz factory in Zhodino, a small city about 50 km from the capital Minsk.

First, we started touring huge engines, other equipment, and the assembly line. Then we were led to a place where giant mining dump trucks - some largest in the world - and excavators were parked.

I was excited to see the world’s largest dump trucks. What was most striking and impressive was a 450-ton dump truck. At least for me, it was unbelievable to see that this truck can carry about half a million tons in one go. It was marked Belaz 75710. Reportedly, two more 75710 models are currently under construction.

It is as long as two double-decker buses parked end-to-end and weighs more than a fully loaded Airbus A380 passenger plane.

With a hauling capacity of 450 tons, it can carry 87 tons more than the current record holder.

Belaz 75710 has eight wheels in pairs compared to the more usual six. Each tubeless pneumatic tire can support 102 tons.

The truck has a diesel-electric transmission system. Two 16-cylinder diesel engines drive generators that produce electricity to power four electric motors, BBC reported on December 4, 2014.

The next-largest mining vehicle, a 360-ton truck, is already being made.

What was also greatly heartening was the production of “hybrid” and “electric” huge mining trucks.

It is greatly heartening that Belaz has developed an “electric” dump truck and built a 130-ton vehicle running on hydrogen fuel.

At a time when our mother planet Earth is facing climate change mostly resulting from the consumption of fossil fuels producing the first electric model of such monster vehicles is extremely encouraging. This serves as a lesson that moving fast toward clean energy even in heavy machinery and industries is quite possible.

Also, the factory has already built and exhibited an innovative vehicle – a 130-ton dump truck – running on hydrogen fuel.

Sergei Nikiforovich, the company manager, has said, “We approached toward (producing environment-friendly heavy-duty machines) step by step. We developed an electric dump truck, then a hybrid diesel-electric dump truck, and now we have the skill set to create hydrogen-fueled vehicles.”

According to the Belza corporate magazine, the calculation of the life cycle costs of a hydrogen-powered dumper shows annual savings in consumables and fuel costs of 40-50 percent compared to the diesel version.

A hydrogen-powered dump truck will not pollute the air. Only water vapor and heat will be released into the atmosphere.

The Belaz plant says a plan is underway to manufacture several dump trucks run on hydrogen fuel cells.

Having the technology, equipment and the necessary experience, Belaz plans to produce dump trucks with payloads of 90, 130, and 220-240 tons powered by hydrogen in the next few years.

The company believes that now there are more customers for dump trucks with large and extra-large payload capacities.

Company managers also believe that “it is no more difficult to assemble a 90-ton dump truck with electric drive than a 55-ton machine.”

Yuriy Morozov, the company’s deputy general director for production engineering, has also said Belaz is the only company in the world that produces heavy-duty mining machinery through the conveyor method.

The company has also introduced a 220-ton dump truck under model 75304 that can operate in the most extreme climatic conditions: From -50 Celsius to +40 Celsius. The dump truck is in a pilot operation at a coal mine in Kuzbass, Russia.

Belaz also plans to build a hydraulic crawler excavator under model BX20012. The mining excavator is equipped with a 12-cubic meter bucket of straight shovel type. It is designed with modern engineering and based on the demand in the market.

The new heavy-weight excavator is as high as a two-story building (7.1 meters) and almost 7.3 meters wide. In terms of safety, performance and design, it is on par with the best in the world. It is perfect for working in tandem with dump trucks with a capacity of 90 to 130 tons that are most in demand.

The new excavator (BX20012) is designed to work both in scorching and cold weather: +40 Celsius to -40 Celsius.

Belaz symbolizes the technological development of Belarus. The Belarusians should be mostly proud of Belaz. The company’s magazine says Belaz competes with Japanese and American companies in manufacturing mining vehicles. It also says it accounts for almost half of the global market.

That a country of 10 million population in Eastern Europe is manufacturing such heavy-duty mining vehicles is surprising. Belaz is the pride of Belarus. It is also a source of pride that the company has succeeded in producing its first electric model.

We wish to see that all dump trucks and excavators produced in Belaz and other factories in the world will be powered by renewable energy in the not-so-distant future.

MTZ tractors

The media team from the SCO countries also had the chance to visit a plant that produces tractors in Belarus. 

The BELARUS tractors, also called the Production Association of Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ), was founded in 1946 in Minsk, one year after the end of the Second World War, in which Belarus as a former Soviet republic was a chief victim.

Currently, the factory offers a diverse range of tractors for different agricultural demands. It produces small and medium size tractors. For example, the factory offers mini-machinery and small-size tractors for general purpose, specialized, and versatile row crop tractors.

Small-size factories or power tillers are offered in 100, 300, 400, and 600 series. These models are best suited for personal and small contour fields. For example, BELARUS 300 is a model designed for various agricultural works. Its small size allows it to be used in greenhouses and small spaces. It can be used with mounted, semi-mounted, trailed machines, and carry cargo.

Also, versatile row crop tractors are produced in 500, 800, 900, 1000, 1200, and 1300 series. They are designed to perform various agricultural works with mounted, semi-mounted, and trailed machines and transportation.

General purpose tractors are manufactured in 1500, 1800, 2000, and 3000 series. These models are for primary and pre-sowing tillage, harvesting operations, high-performance harvesting complexes, hauling operations, sowing and harvesting of grains and other crops, forage conservation, and construction among other works.

The company exports tractors to dozens of countries. It supplies them to customers at a reasonable price. It offers a good choice for farmers looking for durable and cost-effective tractors.

MTZ also has a history of selling its tractors to North American and Western European countries. Now its tractors are operating in various countries. 

Like Belaz, the Eastern European country of Belarus can be proud of its tractor-producing factory. There is a hope that Belaz will share its technology with MTZ to help it produce hybrid and electric tractors or models run on hydrogen.

Belarus is on the path toward more technological and scientific progress in a rapidly changing digitalized world as it has established startups in different technological and scientific fields.