CEMEX has agreed a new five-year partnership with Walsh, a leading provider of river, road and rail freight solutions in London.
This contract will see Walsh running barges on the River Thames to transport aggregates from CEMEX’s wharf at Dagenham to its Readymix plant at Fulham with a 75% CO2 saving compared to road transport. It equates to a saving of more than 5,000 lorry movements annually on London’s roads. This further demonstrates CEMEX’s Future In Action commitment to net zero CO2.
Marine aggregates are processed at Dagenham and the site also receives limestone by sea from the company’s Raynes quarry in North Wales. Both materials are used in the Fulham plant to produce concrete that is supplied into the London market.
David Alec Hart, CEMEX Supply Chain Director for UK and France, commented: “We are pleased to have agreed this new partnership with Walsh, who are perfectly placed to support us with the supply of materials into our Fulham site. We are always looking for ways to enhance the sustainability of our logistics operation, and the use of river freight supports our drive to be a responsible business by reducing congestion and air emissions in our great capital city.”
Lex Russell, Materials Director for CEMEX UK, added: “Our Fulham Readymix plant is a vital part of our London operation, so it is important that it receives a consistent and reliable flow of materials from our Dagenham Wharf. Using the Thames provides a congestion-free, sustainable route through the centre of London and maximising the opportunities for river freight was encouraged in the Greater London Authority’s strategic plan for the city.”
This contract will transport CEMEX materials on the Thames with one barge service completed every day. The use of a river barge to transport these materials takes trucks off the road, each loaded barge carries 400 tonnes which saves the equivalent of 20 HGV lorries travelling across the centre of London.
This contract with Walsh has been agreed as CEMEX prepares to invest in its Fulham Readymix site to ensure it can continue to meet demand for construction materials in the capital into the long-term. Opportunities to develop the partnership with Walsh further, are being explored.