Sugar Storage and Handling

The Sugar Storage and Handling Unit (Ex-Mauritius Sugar Terminal Corporation) is located on a piece of reclaimed land having an area of 10.93 hectares at Les Salines, adjacent to Robert Ewdard Hart Garden and about 3 km from the City Centre of Port Louis. The terminal which is the third largest in the world came into operation on the 23rd June 1980. Following the dismantling of the sugar protocol and the cessation of raw sugar production and exportation, the activities of the sugar storage and handling unit are mainly the sugar receipt, storage and delivery of both plantation white sugar and non-originating sugars to the two refineries of the island.

The unit is headed by a director who oversees the day to day management of the Unit.

 
  • Receiving Station

Raw sugar produced by the sugar factories is transported to the terminal by heavy duty lorries/trailers onto which are mounted three or four sugar boxes of 6.5 tonnes capacity each. Fully computerized weighbridges ensure accurate weighing of the sugar lorries at the receiving station. The sugar boxes are then tipped using electro-mechanical equipment to unload the sugar onto conveyor belts which is then conveyed to the storage sheds.

  • The Storage Sheds

Two-storage sheds, each having a storage capacity of 175,000 metric tonnes harbours in bulk, the plantation white sugar as well as the non-originating sugar. The sheds infrastructure are so designed to resist cyclonic winds of 300 km/hr. The storage sheds are protected against any fire outbreak through a state of art fire detection and fire fighting system.
Since 2009, Shed No. 2 is dedicated for the storage of special sugars in 1 tonne bags destined for exportation.

  • Delivery of Sugar to Refineries

Plantation White Sugar (PWS) and Non-Originating Sugar (NOS) from shed number one are delivered through a new conveying system (C14) inside the shed. The lorry is positioned under discharging hoppers where an operator triggers the pneumatic gate to load the sugar boxes. The lorry is then weighed at the receiving station and directed to the refineries namely Alteo and Omnicane. Delivery of non-originating sugar is also done through the out-loading conveyors and reclaimed at the return bin of the sugar quay.

  • Maintenance and Repairs

All equipment and machinery undergo rigorous maintenance phases based on a pre-planned preventive maintenance programme and coupled to that, critical equipment are routed to a conditioned-based monitoring cycle.

Most of the maintenance and repair works are carried in-house except for big projects which are outsourced. The workshop is equipped with specialized tools and equipment and among others this include a lathe, a milling machine, a hydraulic press, welding equipment both arc and gas, heavy duty drilling machine. Two mobile cranes facilitate transportation of heavy loads, tarring of weighbridges, maintenance of sugar boxes and working at heights with the man-platform attachment.

In view of the geographical position of the Terminal and being exposed to the saline environment, the whole structure which is made of steel and aluminium cladding are subject to adverse environmental impacts. The total built-up area is approximately 43,000 m².

Bagged Sugar Storage and Distribution (BSSD)

In the context of the rationalization of the service providing institutions to improve cost effectiveness, quality services and optimal use of human resources, Cabinet, at its meeting on 22nd August 2014, had agreed to the transfer of the operations of the Bagged Sugar Storage and Distribution Co Ltd to the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority. The Bagged Sugar Storage and Distribution Co Ltd has been removed from the Register of Companies, under Section 309(1)(d) of the Companies Act 2001, on 31st December 2014. All assets and liabilities have been transferred to the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority with effect from 1st January 2015.

 

Principal Activities of BSSD

The principal activity of the Bagged Sugar Unit comprises of the receipt, storage and distribution of bagged sugar as follows:

  • Special Sugars are received from sugar estates for export markets
  • White Refined / Raw Sugars are received from sugar estates for local market
  • Imported Sugars are received from overseas suppliers for local market and bottlers

To this end, the Unit operates three warehouses held on operating lease at the following locations:

  • The Albion Docks
  • MCIA Shed No 2
  • Caudan

The sugars are handled in 25 kg, 50 kg and one- tonne bags.

 

Responsibilities of BSSD

The Bagged Sugar Unit is also responsible for the following:

  • Receipt of empty bags ordered by the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate from overseas and local suppliers for onward delivery to the sugar estates
  • Receipt of steel bars and liners ordered by the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate from overseas and local suppliers for onward delivery to the sugar estates