CEMEX reinstate sustainable transport solution

CEMEX UK are currently trialling the use of Iso-veyors as an innovative way of transporting pulverized fuel ash (PFA) from West Burton power station to Tilbury, for use in the production of blended cements.

The company’s new grinding and blending facility in Tilbury will be officially opened in September 2009.

Iso-veyors, which offer a more sustainable bulk transport and storage solution than conventional methods, were previously used by the company to transport materials to the T5 project at Heathrow airport.

The system provides a logistical and flexible alternative to traditional silos, providing storage for 28 tonnes of material per unit, which can be transported by any combination of road, rail or ship.

The cylinder-shaped Iso-veyor containers are filled at source, West Burton power station in Lincolnshire, and transported by rail approximately 170 miles to Tilbury in east London.

It is anticipated that this will save 600,000 road miles and 720 tonnes of CO2 (the difference between road and rail transportation) per annum.

Once at Tilbury, the 30ft containers, which are constructed within the frame dimensions of a standard commercial container, are handled in the same way as standard ISO containers, using skeletal trailers and conventional rolling stock.

If not required immediately, the containers can be stacked up three units high and moved using conventional lifting gear, providing a flexible, weatherproof storage system that eliminates cross-contamination and reduces environmental damage.

‘From an operations perspective, the Iso-veyors allow us to move far larger loads over greater distances in less time, giving environmental benefits, commented Graham Russell, CEMEX UK’s vice-president commercial, logistics and building products.