Jamalco port back in commission after US$10m repair job

Bauxite-alumina producer Jamalco has reopened its Rocky Point port following repairs, restoring normal shipments in the process.

The mining company’s conveyor system at the port suffered storm damage. It switched to other port arrangements while effecting repairs, but the alternative arrangement, at times, posed logistical challenges. The company said it partially met its commitments.

Hurricane Beryl passed offshore Jamaica on July 3, with the strongest impact felt on the southern coast. It led Jamalco to declare a force majeure due to the port damage.

The repairs to the six-decade-old dock cost about US$10 million, or $1.58 billion in Jamaican currency.

In a statement issued by Jamalco, the company said the works were supported by three large barges and a 350-ton crane from Virginia used to remove debris from the sea floor and preparatory work.

“The restored dock and supporting structure are now stronger and bigger, with 36-foot-wide piles installed to support the trestle system and a reinstated 2,000-foot conveyor belt,” said Civil Engineer and Project Manager Melanie Thwaites.

Despite the disruption, the operations are still on a path to hit full annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes of alumina.

Sector-wide, alumina production grew 15 per cent in the June quarter, while bauxite production grew 24 per cent, according to Planning Institute of Jamaica data. The sector, however, still has closed, or shuttered, plants.

“The bauxite capacity utilisation rate decreased by 11.2 percentage points to 35.9 per cent,” PIOJ said in its quarterly report on the preliminary performance of the Jamaican economy.

Jamalco is controlled by Century Aluminum Company, a global producer of bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium. Century owns 55 per cent of Jamalco, while the 45 per cent interest is held by the Government of Jamaica through Clarendon Alumina Partners Limited.

Century uses the bauxite and alumina mined at Jamalco to plug into its supply chain destined for global markets. The American company operates three aluminium smelters in the United States at Hawesville, Kentucky; Robards, Kentucky; and Mt Holly, South Carolina. It also operates one smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland; and Jamalco in Halse Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica.

In reporting the completion of the Rocky Point port repairs, Century Aluminum’s President and CEO Jesse Gary said in a release that the Jamalco team “rose to the occasion” and “completed these repairs safely and with a disciplined focus”.

Jamalco said in its statement that using both international and local contractors, the repairs that would normally have taken six months were wrapped up in two months. The works were also “incident-free”, said Jamalco Managing Director Marvin Jackson.

Jamalco says it will be doing further upgrades to the conveyor belt to achieve higher elevation in order to protect it from future hurricane-generated waves.

steven.jackson@gleanerjm.com