Car Dumper 3 celebrates a concrete milestone

Car Dumper 3 (CD3) is a critical piece of equipment used for unloading iron ore from trains at BHP’s Nelson Point facility in Port Hedland, Western Australia. The existing machine, which has been operating for many years, needs replacement to ensure the continued efficient operation of BHP’s iron ore handling facilities. 

Beginning with early works and planning at the beginning of 2023, this is a major project for the Monadelphous EC Projects team.

Project Manager Brent Jones shared an update on achievements for the project in the second half of 2024.

“In June, an additional civil package was awarded to Melchor, and we completed a successful major shutdown outage, safely and ahead of schedule,” Brent said.

“In early December the team achieved a major milestone in completing the substation slab pour, which was celebrated by both the Melchor and EC Projects working as an integrated team.”

Other notable achievements on the project in 2024 include:

• 1600t crane commissioning: the largest in our fleet, ‘Rubino’ crane is now fully commissioned and ready for mobilisation. This heavy-lifting equipment is critical in mitigating risks associated with the ageing CD3 cell, significantly enhancing our operational capabilities. 
• Major fabrication packages awarded to subcontractors, ensuring the timely progression of crucial project components. 
• Critical procurement - electrical items are on schedule, reflecting our commitment to maintaining project timelines. 

Speaking about what’s next for CD3, Brent said there will be a new substation installation in January and ancillary cable installation.

“The team will also commence a 30-week major shut staging plan and installation of the RIRO cell dust enclosure roof. We’ll mobilise the 1600t crane to site and then see delivery of the new CD3 Dumper Cell,” he said.

The CD3 project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.