Cape Lambert iron ore upgrade recognised for engineering excellence

capelambert.jpgRio Tinto’s A$1.1 billion Cape Lambert Upgrade project has won a High Commendation from Engineers Australia, WA Division, at the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards in the Resource Development Category. Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) was the EPCM contractor for the project, which involved the expansion of Rio Tinto’s Cape Lambert port facility to increase iron ore shipping capacity from 55 to 80 Mt/y.The project included a stockyard expansion, 256 m extension to the ore wharf and new shiploader to create four shipping berths. This upgrade took Rio Tinto’s iron ore shipping capacity from the Pilbara region to 220 Mt/y.SKM’s General Manager, Mining and Metals, Santo Rizzuto, said that, in delivering the project, SKM used innovative modularised designs for the stockyard and wharf construction. “The use of modularisation had a significant impact on scheduling, cost and safety,” Rizzuto said. “Not only was the project delivered three months ahead of schedule and under budget, it also had an outstanding safety record. Approximately four million man hours were worked on the project, during which time one million man hours LTI free was achieved in two separate periods.”

The Cape Lambert Upgrade project was implemented whilst the port remained fully operational and continued to ship record tonnages of iron ore throughout the project duration. This achievement required significant upfront planning and sequencing of construction activities to support the operation of the port.

The project established new benchmarks in engineering design and construction, which have since been adopted for new iron ore port facilities currently in planning phases.

In recognising the completion of the project, David Joyce, Managing Director Rio Tinto Iron Ore Expansion Projects, said that the combined efforts of both the SKM and Rio Tinto personnel were the main factors behind the project’s great success.