RUSAL implements programme for alumina transportation in big bags

UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces a new programme, developed by the Company, for alumina transportation in big bags. The programme has been launched at the Khakas, Sayanogorsk, and Bratsk aluminium smelters.

Transport costs add considerably to total production costs, so reducing transportation costs became one of the priority cost cutting projects. Logistics play an important role as it allows the Company to make the most reasonable shipment decisions.

Until recently alumina was delivered to the smelters only in special hopper-type wagons, usually a scarce and costly railroad resource, whereas empty multipurpose wagons are always readily available at dispatch stations. Markedly lower rates are the benefit of multipurpose wagons that helps reduce costs to the Company.

In the case of multipurpose wagons, alumina can be transported in big bags. It is a bag carrying up to 14 tonnes, easy to fill and to empty, waterproof and durable enough to remain intact after thousands of kilometres of transportation and reloading by different means of transport.

From 2000 RUSAL was running tests on big bags and trialled shipments of alumina in big bags by truck, sea, and rail. The tests showed that big bags could be used to transport alumina by various means of transport on a large scale. Originally, big bags were used at the Nikolaev alumina refinery for alumina shipments by sea and also for test shipments to the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter. In 2009 the Company started delivering alumina packed in big bags by rail to the Sayanogorsk and Khakas aluminium smelters. And the first lot of 50 wagons with big bags filled with alumina was delivered to the Bratsk aluminium smelter this September.

The team is currently working on making possible the industrial application of alumina delivered in big bags. The smelters of the Company are soon expected to apply the new transportation technology on a wider scale.