Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) said that it supports the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) order to destroy 12,500t of ‘substandard’ Portland cement worth US$977,000, seized in Ilocos Norte. The DTI, through the Bureau of Philippine Standards, ordered the destruction of the shipment after laboratory testing found that it failed to meet the national standard, specifically on loss on ignition, insoluble residue and 28-day compressive strength. The cement was imported from Vietnam, and consisted of 3700t in 40kg bags and 8800t in ‘jumbo’ bags, stored in a warehouse pending inspection.

CEMAP executive director Renato Baja said “As an earthquake-prone country, we cannot afford to take risks with substandard construction materials. The quality of construction materials remains an indispensable requirement. The destruction of non-compliant cement sends a strong message that there is no place for substandard products in the Philippine market.”

Algeria: The port of Annaba recorded the loading of more than 38,000t of cement on 27 June 2026, destined for the US and Spain, according to a statement from the port company's general management. These shipments involved 30,500t of white cement, destined for the US (ports of Philadelphia and West Palm Beach), as well as 7800t tonnes of the same material on board a second ship, destined for the port of Almeria, Spain, on behalf of Biskria Ciment.

Meanwhile, more than 13,000t of cement and clinker were shipped on 24 June 2026 from Algeria’s port of Skikda to Libya. The bulk carrier Mustapha Afandi loaded 5000t of clinker, the Noran Ed cargo ship loaded 5800t of bagged cement and a third vessel loaded an additional 3000t of bagged cement from the Hadjar Soud cement plant, part of the Algerian Cement Industry Group (GICA).

US: SESCO Cement officially opened its new cement import terminal at Port Redwing in Gibsonton, near Tampa, Florida. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included SESCO Cement leadership, Port Tampa Bay officials, state representative Michael Owen and representatives from the construction and maritime industries. The 5.6-hectare facility includes nearly 100,000t of storage capacity and is expected to become the largest cement terminal in Florida upon full build-out. The terminal features what the company describes as the largest wheel-mounted cement ship unloader currently in operation, along with a mobile conveyor system designed to move materials from ships to storage and distribution networks.

SESCO Cement CEO Rick Van Eyk said “As a key partner in the region’s construction and infrastructure supply chain, SESCO Cement plays an important role in supporting continued growth across West Central Florida and reinforcing Tampa’s increasing importance as a gateway for global construction materials.”

The terminal is strategically positioned to serve Florida’s construction markets through maritime shipping lanes, interstate highways and rail networks. SESCO expects to move ‘significant’ volumes of cement, supplementary cementitious materials and aggregates through the facility. A custom-designed ship unloader arrived in Tampa earlier in 2026 following a 25-day voyage and was assembled locally after nearly two years of engineering and design work.

Qatar: Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC) has celebrated the achievement of 1 million manhours without a lost-time injury, accomplished within 312 days. QNCC said that the achievement reflects its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and operational excellence across all its operations. It said that the milestone was a result of continuous training, proactive hazard identification, effective risk management and strict compliance with health, safety and environment requirements.