First delivery landed at state-of-the-art cement storage facility
Aggregate Industries welcome first ship to new deep-sea cement terminal at Port of Southampton
AGGREGATE Industries have welcomed the first ship to bring product to their new state-of-the-art cement storage facility at the Port of Southampton, following a multi-million pound upgrade.
Work began on the extensive infrastructure upgrade in March 2024, after the company secured a 20-year agreement with Solent Stevedores to handle large volumes of both traditional and lower-carbon cementitious products through the Port of Southampton.
The new facility is now considered to be the fastest cement discharging terminal in the UK, unloading vessels at a speed of one tonne of cement every five seconds.
The completion of the £6 million partnership investment between Associated British Ports (ABP) and Solent Stevedores was marked by the arrival of the cement carrier NACC Indian with the first shipment of bulk product.
This partnership investment to convert the flat store at the port builds on the existing relationship Solent Stevedores has with Aggregate Industries and increases the range of products handled by the cargo handler at the port.
Cementitious materials will be pumped from pneumatic vessels through an encapsulated pipe system into the new warehouse, where the highest level of environmental standards are in place.
This first shipment signifies the start of a new chapter in Aggregate Industries’ ability to meet growing regional demand while supporting a more efficient and sustainable supply chain. It also supports ABP’s vision of ‘Ready for Tomorrow’ helping to create a more positive environmental impact.
This new facility is part of Aggregate Industries’ long-term investment strategy to transition to deep-sea terminals, with further import network developments planned for the coming years.
The enhanced distribution capability is designed to minimize lorry miles and deliver exceptional service to local customers, strengthening the company’s leadership in sustainable logistics and supply.
Steve Curley, managing director of Aggregate Industries’ Cement Division, commented: ‘The completion of this facility and the arrival of the NACC Indian represents a major milestone in our deep-sea import strategy.
‘This investment allows us to stay ahead of rising demand for cement solutions, whilst also ensuring we can always deliver with speed and agility to our growing customer base across the south coast region.’
Clive Thomas, commercial director at Solent Stevedores, said: ‘We are thrilled to be further strengthening our working partnership with Aggregate Industries which began in 2021.
‘We work hard to ensure we’re contributing positively towards improving the local air quality, and this long-term contract, together with investing in infrastructure that supports operations of the highest of environmental standards, is something we’re very proud of.’
Paul Reeves, head of commercial at ABP, added: ‘ABP are proud to jointly invest in this state-of-the-art cement facility with our long-term partners Solent Stevedores and Aggregate Industries.
‘We are delighted to see the successful discharge of low-carbon cargo directly from the ship to shore. We continually invest in our infrastructure at the Port to enable greener supply chain solutions for our customers and deliver our Ready for Tomorrow sustainability strategy.’
