Mammoet has started transporting the first heavy components for the BHP South Flank iron ore mine, which is being developed in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Roughly 1,900 items including prefabricated and modular mine processing plant units of various sizes will be transported from Port Hedland to the new mine site, located 340 km away.
The South Flank development is a USD3.6 billion project and it will replace production from BHP’s Yandi mine, which is nearing the end of its life. The investment into the new mine site will ensure the continued production of quantity iron ore for more than 25 years. Productions is scheduled to start in 2021.
HLPFI reported in July 2019 that Schenker Australia awarded Zeamarine a transportation contract for the BHP South Flank project.
Zeamarine is responsible for the transport of 450,000 freight tons of cargo from China to Port Hedland. The majority of the cargoes will be heavy and oversized modules.
For the project, Zeamarine is deploying its Zea 14k-900-type vessels,