Holcim has been in talks with PrimePort and named Timaru as the preferred port to distribute 500,000t of cement from but production is not expected until 2012.
 
PrimePort was dealt a lethal blow last month when three of its major customers, Maersk Line, Hamburg Sud and Tasman Orient announced they would be cutting container numbers through Timaru by more than half.
 
Capital projects manager Ken Cowie says the shipments would be to national destinations, with Timaru favoured over Port Chalmers.
 
"PrimePort will be the location through which we will distribute the majority of cement to our other New Zealand distribution centres using a bulk cement carrier.
 
"We have no plans to export any cement through PrimePort. All the cement planned to be manufactured at Weston is to supply our local New Zealand market demand.
 
"Subject to gaining all resource consents, final approval from our Board and construction on schedule, distribution is expected to commence during 2012."
 
The cement would be transported by rail from the Weston plant near Oamaru and then loaded through a hose system at PrimePort. A light wharf would have to be built and a silo required to store the cement.

Published under Cement News