Displaying items by tag: Rail

Germany: The European Union Innovation Fund has awarded Heidelberg Materials Euro191m in funding to support its development of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain at Geseke cement plant in North Rhine-Westphalia. The planned project, called GeZero, involves the construction of an oxyfuel kiln, capture system and train transport infrastructure. Having received the funding, Heidelberg Materials and its partners will commence work in January 2024. They will subsequently scale the capture system to 700,000t/yr and build pipelines to transport CO2. Energy provider Wintershall Dea will receive the CO₂ at its upcoming coastal hub for processing and storage below the North Sea.

Heidelberg Materials Germany general manager Christian Knell said “Together with our partners, we walk the talk and pave the way for CCS in Germany. GeZero will complement our global project portfolio with a truly unique approach. We are developing a promising novel solution for inland cement sites, with the intention to inspire industry peers and other emission-intensive sectors to follow.”

Global chief custainability officer Nicola Kimm said “The successful grant agreement demonstrates the relevance of GeZero for the decarbonisation of our sector, and the trust that European authorities place in our approach.”

Tanzania: Tanzania Railways Corporation has announced plans to build a 1000km railway across the south of the country, between Lake Nyasa and the Indian Ocean. Business News Africa has reported that the railway will serve Dangote Cement’s local operations, as well as businesses in other industries. The project will cost US$5.6bn, of which Tanzania Railways Corporation has already secured US$2.2bn in potential private investments.

Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan: The government of Kazakhstan’s Jambyl Region says that investors have come forward to support construction of a proposed railway between the region and Kyrgyzstan. Central Asia News has reported that a major cement plant construction project is underway in Jambyl Region. Regional governor Yerbol Karashukeyev said that Kyrgyzstan is undergoing a ‘building boom,’ including in the major market of Bishkek, 20km from the border with Jambyl Region.

Karashukeyev said “In view of the rapid development of the market in Kyrgyzstan and the production of large volumes of construction materials in Kazakhstan, it is worth developing cooperation.”

US: Holcim US will invest US$100m in an expansion to raise its Ste. Genevieve cement plant’s capacity by 15% to 4.6Mt/yr. The expansion will involve the installation of a fifth vertical roller mill (VRM) for cement grinding and a new mineral component addition system, alongside a rail-loadout expansion. The producer says that the expanded plant will have lower net CO₂ emissions than before. Construction is set to commence in 2024.

Toufic Tabbara, head of Holcim’s North America region, said “With an emphasis on achieving the highest levels of environmental performance and operational efficiency, Ste. Genevieve has been the leader in US cement manufacturing since it was built in 2009. This investment will ensure we maintain that leadership in supporting the sustainable growth of our nation’s infrastructure and residential construction while accelerating net carbon reduction across the built environment.”

UAE: Emirates Cement (Arkan) has appointed Oman and Etihad Rail Company (OER) to provide train transport for imported Omani limestone to its 1Mt/yr Al Ain cement plant.

Saeed Khalfan Al Ghafri, CEO of Emirates Cement (Arkan)’s parent company, Emirates Steel Arkan Group, said “Our collaboration with OER enhances our supply chain capabilities by leveraging the railway network that connects both countries. This agreement paves the way for integrated logistics solutions for transporting raw materials to and from our cement plant in Al Ain, boosting operational efficiencies and cost-effectiveness and reducing environmental impact.”

Australia: Cement Australia has signed a new three-year rail haulage agreement with Pacific National to transport shipping containers of cement, sand, fly ash, slag and lime. This will also includes the interstate and inter-city transport of cement and supplementary cementitious materials between large cities and throughout North Queensland. Cement Australia and Pacific National have a partnership that dates back over five years.

Pacific National is Australia’s largest private rail freight operator.

South Korea: The Korean Railway Workers’ Union called a four-day strike of its 13,000 members across South Korea on 14 September 2023. Reuters has reported that the union is seeking higher pay, improved working conditions and the expansion of bullet train services into South Seoul. The Ministry of Transport predicts that total cargo haulage will drop by 53 - 79%. The Korean Cement Association (KCA) said that a protracted strike would disrupt cement production. The industry is 40% reliant on rail transport.

A representative from a KCA member said “We have secured some inventory in preparation for the strike, but it's not a lot. If the strike lengthens, we will have to convert to land transport, which will drive up costs and hit profitability."

Pakistan: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared four development projects worth US$528m that are likely to lead to increased cement demand. This includes the Coal Rail Connectivity Project to connect significant coal reserves in the Thar Coal Mines with the existing rail network, including last mile connectivity to the Port of Qasim, according to the Nation newspaper. The project, part of the government’s Pakistan Vision 2025 policy, has been designed to provide reliable and efficient railway infrastructure to ‘break the geographical barriers’ of accessing domestic coal for industrial use, including cement production, which is currently reliant on more expensive imported fuels.

Separately, funding has been approved for a road project to connect the N50 and N70 national highways, to serve as the main route to connect the Central Cities of Northern Balochistan to Southern Punjab. This is expected to raise cement demand in these areas.

India: Shiva Cement says that a proposed 1Mt/yr grinding unit as part of its new Sundergarh plant is on hold while it evaluates the site location. The cement producer confirmed that the 1.36Mt/yr clinker unit at the site in Odisha has been commissioned as well as a 9MW waste heat recovery (WHR) unit. It added that it has already obtained clearance to operate (CTO) from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for 0.66Mt/yr of clinker production and 9MW WHR at the site. It is currently awaiting clearance for the remaining clinker production capacity. Work on alternative fuel systems, a 12km rail siding and a 10km overland belt conveyor at the site are reportedly progressing on schedule.

US: Heidelberg Materials North America will inaugurate its new 2.4Mt/yr Mitchell cement plant in Indiana on 13 June 2023. The plant cost US$600m to build and is Heidelberg Materials' 'most technologically advanced and sustainable' cement plant, according to the company. It includes a 32,000t/yr cement terminal, served by a newly renovated rail depot. Heidelberg Materials North America has commissioned 1000 new rail cars to assist in efficient distribution of cement produced at the Mitchell plant.