World's Largest Unloader Unveiled at Port Manatee

MANATEE COUNTY – On Monday, Ash Grove Cement unveiled its brand-new state-of-the-art ship unloader with its first shipment of FDOT approved fly ash to its Port Manatee deep water import terminal. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the terminal's grand re-opening.

This maiden shipment completed the Phase 1 transformation project at Port Manatee, which began in early 2021. The project will improve Ash Grove’s capacity to import cement, slag, and fly ash to meet customers' existing and future needs in the Florida and South Georgia markets.

The offloading of the fly ash will utilize Ash Grove’s KOVAKO Ship Unloader at the terminal. The largest Mobile Pneumatic Ship Unloader built, has twin 800 hp blowers, 120’ suction arm, and can offload a dry bulk vessel at a very high rate while maintaining maximum efficiency and minimizing environmental impact by eliminating dust emissions. This machine was custom built for Ash Grove by FLSmidth to meet their specific needs.

The infrastructure improvements and new technology will also increase efficiency and improve environmental performance at the strategically located Port Manatee terminal, leveraging its existing silo capacity and complementing the capabilities of Ash Grove’s cement plants in Sumterville and Branford.

"This shipment will help meet Ash Grove’s growing demand for cementitious materials in Florida. The upgrades at Port Manatee import terminal demonstrate Ash Grove’s commitment to being the leading cement provider in the region and improving the environmental effects of our products in the areas we serve,“ said Ash Grove Regional President Monica Manolas.