The terminal is part of a 30-year masterplan designed by Complejo Portuario Mejillones (a subsidiary of Codelco, the largest open pit in the world), the purpose of which is to develop a large scale harbour in the Bay of Mejillones to service the requirements of mining producers. Located at the heart of the copper mining centre in Chile,TGN aims to become a strategic partner for the mining and electrical industry, through the handling of their products, and become the natural gateway to the Pacific in South America.
CAPACITYTerminal Graneles del Norte — an initiative of Inversiones Neltume Ltd., an Ultramar Investment Group Ltd, Construcciones Belfi and Inversiones Portuarias Norte Grande
After 20 months of construction,Terminal Graneles del Norte (TGN) is starting operations in the Bay of Mejillones in Chile. This project has involved an investment of $80 million. During the construction process, more than 300 people were employed. With the capacity to handle up to 4mt (million tonnes), the terminal was built according to the highest environmental standards in the industry and during operation it is expected to employ 150 workers.
Last November, the new terminal received its first visiting vessel and has officially been operational since 15 January this year. By March 2011, the terminal had already serviced five bulk carrier vessels, with a total throughput of 200,000 tonnes. By the end of 2011, the terminal is expected to have handled 1mt of coal.
SA — was designed to handle up to 4mt. Initially the port will unload coal for the AES Gener power
plant Empresa Ele´ctrica Angamos at a rate of 2mt/year. By 2016, the power plant could increase its coal consumption to 3mt/year. The facilities include one berth with unloading facilities that include: y two CBG 35/32 Liebherr cranes; y 1,000 metres of pipe conveyor belt with a rate capacity of 2,120tph (tonnes per hour); y a modern dry fog dust control system; and y a fire protection system.
Throughout Complejo Portuario Mejillones,Terminal Graneles del Norte has 18 hectares available for the future development of warehouses and logistic hubs.
MASTERPLANTerminal Graneles del Norte’s masterplan includes a potential second berth for loading ore concentrates. The characteristics of this new design are:
* one shiploader for Panamax Vessels;
* 800 metres of pipe conveyor belt at a rate capacity of 1,500tph;
* a dust control system; and y a fire protection system.
Other land facilities to develop are warehouses, silos and domes for a total storage capacity of 150,000 tonnes.
ENVIRONMENTAs a latest-generation port,Terminal Graneles del Norte
incorporates the latest technology in environmental matters. It is the first port in Chile to use a full pipe conveyor belt to unload coal. Until now, this system was only used to ship ore concentrate. This conveyor belt and the modern dust control system place the port as a state-of-the-art facility in the north of Chile. In a year’s time,Terminal Graneles del Norte intends to certify its operations under the standards ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001.
FUTURETerminal Graneles del Norte also plans to become an important player in future exports of copper, zinc and lead concentrates and other potential cargoes, always working to high environmental standards.