Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based aluminium smelter, has announced that it has upgraded the technology for its Line 6 Expansion Project from EGA DX+ to the EGA DX+ Ultra.

The signing ceremony was held today (February 23) in Dubai, UAE, and was attended by Shawqi Al Hashimi, Alba’s director for Line 6 Smelter Project and Engineering; Abdulla Kalban, managing director and CEO, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA); Dr Ali Al Zarouni, senior vice president, Jebel Ali Operations, technology development and transfer; and members of the EGA technology development and transfer department.

The upgrade to the EGA DX+ Ultra Technology will boost Alba’s production to 540,000 metric tonnes per annum (mtpa), an increase of 26,000 mtpa versus prior projections. This will bring Alba's total production capacity to approximately 1,500,000 mtpa making Alba the largest single site smelter in the world, said a statement from the company.

The DX+ Ultra Technology will improve energy efficiency, which in turn will allow Alba to increase its metal production with no increase in overall energy consumption, it said.

Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project timeline remains on track with “first hot metal” scheduled for January 1, 2019, it added.

Alba’s Al Hashimi said: “We are very fortunate to have EGA as a partner in the Line 6 Project. The upgrade to DX+ Ultra Technology is a game changer that will allow Alba to increase output through the use of low energy consumption technology and further strengthen our position as a leading, low cost producer.”  

Jebel Ali Operations’ Al Zarouni added: “Research and technology development have been hallmarks of EGA since the inception of our business. We have dedicated considerable resources – both human intellect and financial investment – to these activities over the years. DX+ Ultra Technology is the result of the latest efforts to develop lower CAPEX and lower energy, high amperage reduction cells.”

One of the biggest industrial projects in Bahrain, Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project will make the company the largest single site smelter in the world upon its completion, said a statement.

This project is expected to have a big impact on country’s economy as well as strengthen the kingdom’s position as the hub for the downstream aluminium industry in the GCC, it added. – TradeArabia News Service