Kondili – Pneumatic Cement Carrier

While recently escaping the cold north for a touch of sunshine, I took this picture of the pneumatic cement carrier Kondili in the Port of Melbourne. Having been built in 2006, the vessel was converted from a handy size bulk carrier to a pneumatic cement carrier in 2018 and is currently dedicated to serving the Australian coast. She is one of 5 cement carriers in the Montreal headquartered CSL fleet.

Built by Shimanami Shipyard, Imbari, Japan in 2006

Owned and operated by the CSL Group

LOA 169.3m

GRT 17,804 tons

Beam 27.2m

DWT 26,770 MT

Hold capacity 26,778 cbm

Original name: Cape Knox

Four producers operate a total of six integrated cement plants in Australia and New Zealand, with another 13 grinding plants in Australia. Both the Australian cement industry and the sole New Zealand cement producer, Golden Bay Cement, have introduced strategies aimed at restricting climate change to below the 2° scenario. Golden Bay Cement, which reduced its total CO₂ emissions by 12% over the four-year period between its 2018 and 2022 financial years, aims to achieve a 30% reduction by 2030 from the same baseline. The Australian Cement Industry Federation (CIF)’s 2050 net zero cement and concrete production roadmap consists of several pathways to emissions reduction including the use of green hydrogen, alternative carbon capture, renewable energy, transport and construction innovations and alternative concretes. Golden Bay Cement is also investigating the introduction of New Zealand’s abundant volcanic ash into its cement production.

Beyond this, cement producer Adbri is among eight members of an all-Australian consortium currently building a green hydrogen plant at AGL Energy’s Torrens Island gas-fired power plant in South Australia.

Feature Image Courtesy: Capt. Stephen Brown, Melbourne, Australia.