Luga cement carrier smashes Australian record with shipment into Port of Townsville
A massive carrier has helped smash an Australian record for the largest shipment unloaded at the Port of Townsville. See how.
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THE Port of Townsville has claimed an Australian record for the largest shipment of cement ever unloaded by a pneumatic cement carrier.
Traditionally, cement carriers are loaded by gravity or by pressure from silo but self-discharging, pneumatic cement carriers are a sophisticated way of loading or discharging with their own compressors and pumps.
No stranger to Townsville’s port, Luga is the largest pneumatic cement carrier in the world.
A Townsville Port spokeswoman said it recently discharged 28,000 tonnes of cement at Cement Australia’s Townsville facility, setting a new Australian record and a potential world record.
“The Port of Townsville is the only port north of Gladstone to trade cement,” the spokeswoman said.
“Product imported through the Port makes its way to construction projects right across Northern Australia.
“Cement imports through the Port of Townsville increased significantly last financial year.”
In 2020/21, cement imports totalled 443,889 tonnes.
Chief Operating Officer Drew Penny said the lift in cement imports was due to increased construction activities across all sectors, particularly mining.
With the idyllic winter conditions enticing boaties out onto Cleveland Bay, vessels were reminded to keep at least 100m from the largest Australian owned backhoe dredge Woomera and support vessels as the $232 million channel widening continues.
The Woomer has been in action since mid-March, working to widen Townsville’s 14.9km shipping channel from 92 metres to 180 metres at the inshore (Port) end, tapering to 120 metres at the seaward end.
All dredged material will be placed on barges and transported back to a Temporary Unloading Facility on the western side of the new rock wall for placement in the 62 hectare reclamation area.
Dredging is expected to take two years and upon completion ships up to 300 metres long will be able to safely access the Port, instead of bypassing Townsville.
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Originally published as Luga cement carrier smashes Australian record with shipment into Port of Townsville
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