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‘Significant benefit’: Fremantle Ports unveil unique storage dome

Fremantle Ports has revealed a new clinker circuit project that features a storage dome set to deliver ‘significant benefit’ to clinker users and importers.  

The 40-metre-high storage dome and covered conveyor network will link directly to the adjacent Cockburn Cement Ltd plant and support BGC, the state’s other major clinker importer.  

“The clinker dome holds the same amount of product as a conventional shed but has a much smaller ground footprint,” Fremantle Ports chief executive Michael Parker said. 

“This is of significant benefit to future-proofing the Kwinana Bulk Terminal, as we can make space for other trades, sheds, and systems as we continue to develop and grow in the years to come.” 

The dome storage solution was chosen instead of a conventional shed but has a much smaller footprint then the shed which is critical at the Kwinana Bulk Terminal. 

The dome was constructed using a concrete ring beam, and then an air-form membrane was inflated. A layer of foam was applied before steel and shotcrete were used to reinforce the structure. 

“The instalment of the dome and the clinker import circuit facility is a very exciting investment, providing our customers faster cargo-handling, quicker ship turnaround times and more efficient landside operations,” Parker said.

“This project supports the construction industry in Western Australia and is a key part of our long-term planning to facilitate trade through the Port of Fremantle.” 

Parker said that clinker held an important place in the state’s resources and aggregates sector. 

The Kwinana Bulk Terminal receives more than 1.1 million tonnes of imported clinker per year, which is used in domestic, commercial, and industrial projects. Indonesia accounts for around half of the annual amount, while Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates make up the remainder. 

“Without clinker, industry stops, and every tonne of the commodity entering Western Australia comes through the Kwinana Bulk Terminal,” he said. 

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