LafargeHolcim provides customized solutions for port projects in Ecuador and Morocco

LafargeHolcim will be a vital industrial partner in the construction of two major port projects, the DP World Posorja project in Ecuador and the Nador West Med complex in Morocco. These two projects demonstrate LafargeHolcim’s expertise in construction materials and services for durable marine infrastructure.

LafargeHolcim Maroc will supply special cement for the Nador West Med project. Located 30 kilometers from Nador on the Mediterranean coast, Nador West Med is an integrated port complex. The first stage of this project - which includes the building of breakwaters, three oil/ bulk terminals and a container terminal - is expected to complete in 2020. LafargeHolcim solutions will be used for the precasting of caissons, breakwaters, and quay construction using cement that has been developed to guarantee 100 years of durability in an aggressive marine environment.

The project builds on the Group’s experience of supplying almost 1 million tonnes of cement and 350,000 m3 of concrete, as well as sophisticated services, for the construction of Tangier’s Med I and II ports.

Located 65 kilometers from Guayaquil, the business capital of Ecuador, at the delta of the Guayas River, the greenfield multi-purpose Deep-Water Port in Posorja will give Ecuador access to global markets and improve the competitiveness of the world’s largest banana exporter.

LafargeHolcim’s local subsidiary has signed a contract with CHEC, the Harbour Engineering Company of CCCC (China Communication Construction Company), which was awarded the contract for the initial phase of the port’s infrastructure construction. During this phase, which is expected to complete in 2019, Holcim Ecuador will supply cement for the piles and the precast quays. The bespoke cement solution developed by Holcim Ecuador combines high compressive strength and high resistance to sulfate which guarantees durability and resistance to seawater.

Nicolas Swetchine, Group Head of Infrastructure Markets and International Key Account Management said: “Today our clients can rely on our port specialists and our technical laboratories to identify the right cement for each application. This gives us the ability to deliver tailored solutions and create durable and sustainable port infrastructure, serving our partners worldwide.”

LafargeHolcim’s global R&D center in Lyon, France, as well as the Group’s laboratories around the world have developed a wide range of solutions and services to support each application needed for port infrastructure projects. With tailor-made solutions for pavements, quays, shore protection and breakwaters, as well as technical and logistic support, LafargeHolcim’s teams are able to handle the most challenging projects.

LafargeHolcim has participated in more than 30 port projects in 20 countries, supplying special cement and concrete solutions for the new terminal of Rijeka port in Croatia and unique fast-hardening concretes for Kuantan port in Malaysia. In Germany, LafargeHolcim supplied environmentally friendly cement for the construction of JadeWeserPort in Wilhelmshaven, the country’s only deep-water port. In Australia, LafargeHolcim participated in the construction of the Gorgon liquefied natural gas facility by providing challenging concrete mix designs as well as a number of services such as an on-site laboratory and on-site batching plants.

About LafargeHolcim

LafargeHolcim is the leading global building materials and solutions company serving masons, builders, architects and engineers all over the world. Group operations produce cement, aggregates and ready-mix concrete which are used in building projects ranging from affordable housing and small, local projects to the biggest, most technically and architecturally challenging infrastructure projects. As urbanization increasingly impacts people and the planet, the Group provides innovative products and building solutions with a clear commitment to social and environmental sustainability. With leading positions in all regions, LafargeHolcim employs around 90,000 employees in more than 80 countries and has a portfolio that is equally balanced between developing and mature markets.