Mammoet Australia and Dextra Transport have successfully transported modular plant components to aid the construction of the Yara Pilbara Nitrates technical ammonium nitrate manufacturing plant.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news from Australasia’s lifting industry.
- Don’t miss a lift and subscribe to our monthly magazine.
- Download our latest digital magazine to catch up on the biggest news and developments in the crane industry.
The project was developed through a joint venture between Orica Limited and Yara International ASA and is the world’s first ammonium nitrate plant. The challenge faced by Mammoet and Dextra was clear: the timely delivery of the massive modular components from its arrival site, the Port of Dampier, to the project site on the Burrup Peninsula.
According to Mammoet, this needed to be achieved within a tight schedule and through a difficult transport route containing inclines of up to eight per cent. Additionally, limited port storage, high tidal ranges, local permitting procedures and temporary road closures provided logistical challenges to the timely delivery of the project.
Mammoet, however, through its existing branches in Port Hedland and Karratha, was well placed to provide localised support for the project. Mammoet’s role was to handle the load-in and port-to-foundation transport of over 148 modules received from ten shipments. With the modules weighing up to 900 tonnes and measuring 18m tall by 23.5m wide, Mammoet needed to navigate access via roads that had not witnessed loads such as those aforementioned as well as stringent governmental quarantine requirements.
“The project team’s commitment to overcoming challenges and delivering the plant’s components was truly remarkable,” said Lee Chapman, Mammoet Australia’s Business Development Manager. “Early engagement in the project played a crucial role to achieve timely delivery of project components. They were delivered on time, at the right time, within tight deadlines and challenging conditions, showcasing our commitment to our clients’ success.”
To complete the project, the team performed engineering studies to check the capacity and solutions for crossing underground services – including culverts and bridge checks – while identifying transport route challenges early, allowing for sufficient time for upgrades and approvals.
To shift the modules, Mammoet utilised a combination of conventional equipment and SPMTs to ensure the project’s successful completion. The approval process was further complicated by traveling on the route at night that required a detailed route study, road modifications, bridging and propping culverts, and the implementation of a rolling roadblock under traffic management – a first on this route, according to Mammoet.
The Yara Pilbara technical ammonium nitrate manufacturing plant boasts a capacity to produce 330,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate annually.