Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has signed a 15-year agreement with Guinea’s Louis Dreyfus Armateurs for the transshipment of bauxite destined for EGA’s Al-Taweelah alumina refinery as well as to other customers globally.

The two companies formed a joint venture company to implement the agreement.

According to EGA, bauxite will be loaded at Guinea’s Kamsar Port and shipped to EGA’s aluminium facility in Abu Dhabi, and to other customers.

Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee will supply EGA’s Al-Taweelah facility with bauxite, while another company, Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), will supply the rest of Guinea’s global bauxite customers.

The Abu Dhabi-based firm is developing the GAC project, which comprises a bauxite mine and associated export facilities. The site is expected to generate its first bauxite in the second half of 2019.

EGA is also building the UAE’s first alumina refinery at Al-Taweelah in Abu Dhabi. The first alumina from the refinery is expected during the first half of 2019.

Alumina refined from bauxite is the feedstock for aluminium smelters.

EGA says the Al-Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to meet 40 per cent of its alumina needs once it enters full production.

A transshipment agreement is key to transporting the minerals by sea since Kamsar Port is located on the river Nunez 17 kilometres from the open sea and is inaccessible to the world’s largest vessels.

The transshipment system for GAC will consist of self-propelled barges that will shuttle from its berth at Kamsar Port to two floating transfer stations. For bauxite destined for Al-Taweelah alumina refinery, LD Ports & Logistics, the parent company of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, will use a gearless Panamax that will shuttle from the Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee berth to a transshipper.

Bauxite destined for Al-Taweelah alumina refinery will be unloaded at Khalifa Port, which is expanding and widening its approach channel and basin to accommodate the world’s largest bulk cargo vessels.