Displaying items by tag: logistics

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement says it started using an artificial intelligence-based (AI) ship allocation optimisation system in May 2025. Software company Grid provided the technology for the project. The companies say that this is the first such application in the domestic cement industry.

The new ship allocation system analyses large volumess of transportation data and generates optimal ship allocation plans while considering various constraints. It is intended to: reduce transportation costs such as fuel; optimise courses and loading efficiency, with an expected 10% reduction of fuel consumption at the planning stage; enhance inventory management; and reduce planning time by more than 50% compared to manual planning methods.

UK/Norway: UK-based marine carbon capture firm Seabound has launched an onboard carbon capture project in partnership with Hartmann Group, InterMaritime Group and Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe. The solution equips the UBC Cork, a 5700 gross tonne cement carrier, with Seabound’s calcium looping carbon capture system. This system captures up to 95% of CO₂ and 98% of sulphur emissions from the ship’s exhaust using calcium hydroxide to absorb the CO₂ and convert it into limestone that is stored onboard until returning to port. The captured carbon will be offloaded at the Port of Brevik for use at Heidelberg Materials’ Brevik cement plant, host of the first industrial-scale carbon capture facility in the cement sector.

The project is co-funded by the Eurostars partnership on Innovative SMEs, part of Horizon Europe through the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation. This funding supports collaborative research and development projects in a range of industries, including maritime transport.

CEO of Seabound Alisha Fredriksson said “We’re proud to partner with industry leaders like Heidelberg Materials and Hartmann to deliver scalable carbon capture solutions. We’re especially excited to be advancing this work in Brevik, a strategic location that’s rapidly establishing itself as a global hub for CCS with Heidelberg’s world-first facility and the Northern Lights pick up point. Together, we’re demonstrating how onboard carbon capture can accelerate emissions reductions in carbon-intensive sectors.”

Lars Erik Marcussen, Logistics project manager at Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe, said “Shipping cement is emissions-intensive, and Seabound’s system gives us a clear path to reduce those Scope 3 emissions while enhancing our circular use of captured CO₂. This project also brings us one step closer to decarbonising the logistics/transport part of our operations.”

Spain: Cementos Carral will expand its facilities at the Punta Langosteira Outer Port with four new silos, at a cost of more than €2m. The project will add 1242m² to its existing 3300m² plot, according to local press. To date, the company said it has managed operations of 120 vessels and moved over 700,000t of cement, and aims to increase its logistics capacity in response to growing demand. The expansion has entered the public information phase following publication in the Official State Gazette, with a 20-day window for comment.

US: Ozinga has broken ground on a 1Mt/yr alternative cement grinding plant in East Chicago, Indiana. The plant is equipped with a Gebr. Pfeiffer MVR5300-C6 vertical roller mill. It will produce ASTM C989-compliant slag cement and other blended cements. When operational in 2026, it will be the largest of its kind in North America, and avoid 700,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions from conventional cement production. Its location offers strategic rail, road and shipping access to large markets in the US and Canada.

East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland welcomed an anticipated 150 new jobs resulting from construction and subsequent operations at the plant.

India: Adani Group will invest US$3bn in Kerala over the next five years. The group will reportedly develop a logistics and e-commerce hub in Kochi and expand its cement capacity in the city.

The producer has already invested US$577m in developing the Vizhinjam port, and according to Adani Ports managing director Karan Adani, the company is investing an additional US$2.3bn.

Cuba: Cement production fell to 258,000t in 2024, representing only 10% of the country’s installed capacity, according to the OSDE Group of Business Construction Materials. President Reynolds Ramírez Vigaud attributed the decline to energy shortages amid national financial challenges.

The sector's problems date back to 2017, according to CiberCuba, when capacity utilisation was 58%. Despite initiatives such as the first ‘eco-friendly’ cement production in 2018 and the reopening of the Sancti Spíritus cement plant in 2022, the industry has faced logistical issues and plant shutdowns. This has a knock-on effect on the government’s annual housing plan and the inability to meet domestic demand for cement. The government is also prioritising the export of cement to obtain foreign currency, worsening shortages and increasing prices.

New cement plants at Nuevitas and Santiago de Cuba will begin production in 2025.

India: Kaushalya Logistics has opened new depots for Ambuja Cement, part of the Adani Cement Group, in Kurukshetra and Bhiwani, Haryana.

This marks the first phase of a strategic expansion approved by ACC & Ambuja Cement to establish operations at key locations in Haryana, including Kaithal and Fatehabad. The new depots reportedly aim to improve inventory management, reduce transit times and enhance connectivity across key industrial hubs in the region.

Nigeria: Tetracore Energy has entered into an agreement with Dangote Cement to supply up to 400,000m³/day of compressed natural gas (CNG) for its logistics operations. The energy provider will deploy its mobile refilling units and establish mother stations nationwide to provide a supply of CNG for Dangote’s logistics fleet.

India: AVG Logistics announced that it has successfully secured an order worth US$10.5m from a cement manufacturing company, marking a significant milestone in the company's expansion strategy. Under this contract, the company will leverage its expertise in managing complex logistics networks to provide tailored solutions. The company plans to address the unique challenges of the cement supply chain, from raw material transportation to finished product delivery.

India: Kaushalya Logistics has commenced operations at its new depot in Amritsar, Punjab, Reuters has reported. The facility will serve JK Cement’s regional distribution operations.