Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1981 > Committee on State Sponsored Bodies > Report No. 16 - Nitrigin Eireann Teoranta

APPENDIX 9

MEMORANDUM FROM NÍTRIGIN ÉIREANN TEORANTA

TRANSPORT OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA:

MARINO POINT TO ARKLOW

In planning the ammonia/urea project, two options for transporting the 130,000 tonnes per annum of ammonia from the Marino Point plant to the fertiliser factory at Arklow were considered by NET: (i) transport by sea and (ii) transport by rail.

A comparison was made of the alternative economic and operations factors and it was established that, even allowing for the capital investment required to install the rail loading/unloading terminals and to provide the specialised rail wagons, the costs of transporting the ammonia by rail were substantially lower than shipping costs.

While ammonia was being imported into Arklow by ship at the time, the volume of ammonia movements to handle the increasing tonnages required by the Arklow fertilizer units would have involved the upgrading of existing ship offloading facilities at Arklow harbour and would have required extensive remedial work at Arklow harbour to ensure a continued reliability of berths. In any event, the smaller tankers used for this traffic at the time were gradually being taken out of service and future availability of these tankers could not be guaranteed.

The option of transporting ammonia by sea was therefore rejected because of higher operating costs, capital investment required and doubts about the adequacy of Arklow harbour to cope with the increased traffic.

NET and CIE developed the project for transporting the ammonia by rail throughout 1977 and 1978. A revised economic analysis, based on updated costs, in 1979 confirmed that the decision to opt for rail transport was justified.

Anhydrous Ammonia is transported by rail in Britain, Europe, USA and other countries worldwide. The European Ammonia Producers Association (APEA), the Chemical Industries Association, the American Agricultural Nitrogen Institutes and ICI have all drawn up codes of practice for the safe handling and transportation of ammonia by rail.

The project for transport of ammonia by rail was brought before the Inter-Departmental Committee set up by the Department of Transport to examine schemes for the transport of dangerous chemicals. The committee had discussions with all interested organisations including CIE and NET, and drew up procedures for the “Co-ordination of Emergency Services (and other organisations) in the event of an accident involving anhydrous ammonia rail vehicles between Cork (Marino Point) and Arklow (Shelton Abbey).” A copy of the scheme which was issued in June, 1978, is attached.*

The Department of the Environment conveyed to the relevant local authorities details of the procedures and NET has supplied additional technical information to CIE and local authorities.

Before the rail transport of ammonia commenced, CIE advised all local authorities on the route as to the commencement of operation of the ammonia train system.

September, 1980

*Not published by Committee.