Breeding cockles delay new CEMEX plant

Opening of new aggregates processing plant at Dagenham Dock held up by mating molluscs

FOR anyone who doesn’t know their molluscs from their mullets, it is currently the breeding season for cockles in the Thames estuary.

But while the molluscan bivalves are no doubt having a whale of a time, their annual period of procreation has put a temporary halt to dredging in an area of Dagenham Dock and delayed the start of a new aggregate processing plant.

CEMEX UK’s £3.5 million investment in the dock site, which previously handled imported limestone and ash, will see a new plant processing up to 500,000 tonnes of marine-dredged aggregates, delivered by CEMEX Marine, for use in the South East’s growing construction market.

Using an efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transport, much of this tonnage will be transported by barge along the river Thames to construction customers in the heart of the capital.

Malacological mating permitting, CEMEX say the new plant – a Terex Aggresand 165 which was recently on display at Hillhead 2014 – should be up and running by October this year.