France: Ecocem has welcomed the publication of a new European Assessment Document (EAD) on blended cements, confirming that the company’s ACT low-carbon technology meets recognised technical requirements for the European construction market. The EAD enables Ecocem and other low-carbon cement producers to pursue the European Technical Assessment (ETA) route and obtain CE marking for market access.

Ecocem’s ACT product reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 70% compared to conventional cement, and received ETA 23-0877 in December 2023, issued by Cerema. Ecocem is currently building the first production line for ACT at its new €50m facility in Dunkirk, France, which is planned to begin commercial operation in late 2026. This is part of a wider €226m investment programme to expand the company’s production facilities by 2030.

Türkiye: Batıçim–Batı Anadolu Çimento has secured a positive environmental impact assessment (EIA) decision from the İzmir Governorship for its proposed clinker grinding and packing plant in Aliağa, İzmir. The US$20.4m project will utilise a cement grinding mill with a capacity of 250t/hr, supported by four packing units (180t/hr each), 12 bulk loading units (150t/hr each), a 300t/hr crusher, and two 1000t ash silos. Total production capacity is projected at 3.5Mt/yr. Construction is expected to be completed within one year.

India: UltraTech Cement has awarded Fuller Technologies the contract to supply two high-capacity clinker coolers for its upcoming production lines at Pali Cement Works in Rajasthan and Vikram Cement Works in Madhya Pradesh. Each cooler will have a capacity of 12,000t/day of clinker.

The Gambia: The managing director of Jah Oil, Momodou Hydara, has attributed the ongoing cement shortage in the country to external constraints, including the shallow channel at the Port of Banjul and weather-related disruptions to operations. Hydara said that large vessels cannot dock at the port, and that smaller boats are facing delays due to adverse weather conditions. The shortage has disrupted construction activity and increased retail prices of cement across the country. The shortage has also been attributed to the government's April 2024 decision to increase import tariffs on bagged cement from Senegal.

Hydara said that Jah Oil has sufficient capacity to meet domestic demand. “As we speak, we have two ships at sea carrying 55,000t and 59,500t of cement each, and another carrying 55,000t en route to Banjul,” he said. The two ships contain approximately three million bags of cement, which would cover the monthly consumption of 30,000t. To ease pressure on port operations, Jah Oil has acquired two seagoing vessels, each with a 4000t capacity, to help offload cement from larger ships offshore.

Jah Oil is investing in its production capacity, with a new plant in Farafenni producing 100,000 bags per day, while another in Bafuloto, which can produce 200,000 bags per day, is nearing completion.