Project details

Cerrejón owns the largest open-pit coal mine and export port in Latin America, which have a capacity of over 32 million tonnes per year and are connected by a 150-kilometre-long railroad.

Cerrejón had established structural inspection and maintenance procedures for their mine, railway, and port infrastructure and wanted to bring their system in line with international benchmarks and best practices. The system needed to manage the risks and maintenance needs of their assets effectively and sustainably, in addition to meeting ISO 55000 requirements.

Solutions

CWA conducted a detailed audit of Cerrejón’s existing structural maintenance strategy and practices, including an evaluation of the methods by which:

• Inspections were conducted and reported.
• Inspection findings were tracked and followed up on.
• Repairs were planned, controlled, and executed.

Following the review, CWA provided Cerrejón with detailed recommendations for the implementation of a structural maintenance system that would meet international best practices. This system is expected to reduce the costs of unexpected operational shutdowns by allowing Cerrejón to proactively identify and resolve areas of concern before they become a problem.

CWA’s recommendations included the practical aspects of integration into Cerrejón’s existing systems and processes, including their digitized maintenance management system.