Giant Project Freight Forwarding Job Will Mean Cleaner Air

CHINA – AUSTRALIA – Last month saw a giant Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) module delivered to one of the world’s largest primary lead smelting facilities at Port Pirie in Southern Australia having travelled from the Yanda Module Yard in Jiangsu China. This huge project freight movement was a cooperation between forwarding group Geodis and breakbulk, project cargo and heavy lift shipping operators AAL. The 41 metre long and 21 metre high module weighed 530 tonnes and is the largest component to be shipped for Pirie’s ongoing redevelopment project which will convert the aged smelter into a modern multi metals processing and recovery facility.

The module was loaded aboard the AAL Dampier in the Port of Nantong using the 700 tonne combined lifting capacity of AAL’s 19,000 dwt S-Class vessel organised by the company’s in-house engineering and operations teams, as part of a wider end-to-end logistics operation managed by the Industrial Projects division of international supply chain operator, Geodis. Marc Willim, General Manager of AAL’s Tramp & Projects Division, explained:

”Our engineers spent weeks poring over lift, stowage and discharge plans to ensure safe and timely delivery. The result is a milestone for all parties involved. For AAL it reinforces our reputation as a trusted heavy lift specialist with the right tonnage and expertise to meet any multipurpose shipping demands. For Geodis it marks another successful stage in its seamless execution of this project, and [customer] Nyrstar takes delivery of a component that will significantly improve the environmental performance of its site as part of the delivery of the redevelopment project.”

The ESP unit is part of an innovative Off Gas System that will draw Sulphur Dioxide rich gas and fumes generated from the Top Submerged Furnace (TSL) and ‘electrostatically’ charge them, removing solid particles and enabling ‘clean gas’ to continue into the Acid Plant process. The system will have a significant positive impact on the environmental performance of Pirie’s operations which will lead to improved community health. Maureen Brown, General Manager AU/NZ, Industrial Projects, Geodis added:

”The success of the project to date is due to the dedicated team based in Brisbane, Adelaide and Shanghai, and has brought a number of benefits to Nyrstar.”

Photo: The AAL Dampier manhandles the giant module into position.